


Obsession

by Firelily18



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-15
Updated: 2014-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-23 14:03:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 18
Words: 29,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/927350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firelily18/pseuds/Firelily18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dani Fenton is the obsession of three of the most dangerous men on the planet. Walker the ghostly prison warden, Vlad Masters the billionaire half-ghost archenemy, and Freakshow the most powerful mage in all of existence. Can Dani save Amity Park while avoiding what these three sinister men have in store for her? A darker retelling of Danny Phantom with fem!Danny.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. Butch Hartman does. Now here's where I put my warnings. Well I just have one. This is a darker retelling of Danny Phantom. Key word being 'darker.' In the upcoming chapters there will be violence, death, and gore. So if that's not your thing, leave now! This story also contains adults with minors. So if you don't like it, Kick rocks! It also contains gang wars, incest, non con, and kidnapping. Lots and lots of kidnappings. To come right down to it, this is a dark story and I will only warn you only ONCE! I'm not going to go through this with every chapter I write. So no nasty reviews because you have already been warned! Well that's about all I can think of. Enjoy the story!

It was the moment darkest before the dawn and time was completely halted in the Fenton household.

Four glowing spirits currently hovered over a young teenaged girl who was curled up drooling on her bed, a half eaten bag of M&M's in one hand and a remote in the other. Her tiny television was frozen in a 'Hocus Pocus' scene and a Grim Reaper costume was carelessly draped over her chair.

Three of the spirits, all females, looked at the male spirit, their red eyes filled with hesitance as they glanced down at the teenaged girl.

"She's the only one who can stop them." The male spirit reassured them, as he gestured to the girl with his time staff, switching his form from young to old. "Danielle Fenton is the only one who can restore peace and balance to the Human World, the Magical Realm, and that of the Ghost Zone. But she needs those gifts in order for that to be attained."

The eternal beings nodded at his words and lifted their hands in union to the teenager, each speaking at the same time.

"To you, Danielle Fenton, I grant the power of beauty." The Spirit with the red hood said. "There will be none in the Human World, Magical Realm, or the Ghost Zone more fairer than you."

"To you, Danielle Fenton, I grant the power of song." The Spirit with the green hood said. "There will be none in the Human World, Magical Realm, or the Ghost Zone that shall have a lovelier voice than you."

"To you, Danielle Fenton, I grant the power of immunity." The Spirit with the blue hood said. "There will be none in the Human World, Magical Realm, or the Ghost Zone that shall possess your body or mind."

A very bright white light encased the teenaged girl, filling the entire tiny room. After it was over, the spirits were gone and time had started once again.


	2. The Invitation

Wednesday. December 21st, 2004. Amity Park. 9:56p.m.

.

On a cool crisp December evening, a young woman raced home on a mini bike. Even only at a brief glance one could tell she was extremely gorgeous. Long thick black hair as dark as ebony, beautiful porcelain skin as white as newly fallen snow, and lips as red as blood. Many people around Amity Park nicknamed her 'Snow' or 'Snow White' but her real name was Danielle Fenton.

She was smiling as 'Fenton Works' came into view while taking a glance at her watch. 9:56pm. She would just make it. She would be on time for once!

"Finally," She found herself saying out loud in her excitement, "One day where I get home on time without any ghost detours making me miss my 10:00pm curfew."

As if jinxing it, a blue mist escaped from her mouth and she found herself letting out a groan. Why did her ghost sense have to go off now!? Couldn't those stupid ghosts give it a rest just this once!? She stopped her mini bike abruptly when she saw three vulture like ghosts in the air. Shrieks and screams were heard as they phased in and out of three different houses.

"Or not." She signed. She quickly looked around to check if the coast was clear. Nothing. It was like a ghost town. Laughing inwardly at the irony of that statement, she quickly ducked behind a van to change.

"Going ghost!" She said as twin white rings engulfed her turning her black hair white, her snow white skin tanned, and her black eyes a bright blue. She quickly flew to catch up with the birds. Once she was side by side with them she spoke to make her presence known.

"You fellows look lost. Any chance I could help you?"

Of course she didn't plan on helping them at all. She just wanted to know what the hell they were doing in her town and then she would just suck them into the Fenton Thermos. But she learned a very long time ago that she caught more flies with honey than vinegar. And sure enough the vultures halted all their movements. They were staring at her in shock and amazement. Dani grinned. She got that all the time.

"Can I help you?" She repeated more slowly. They seemed to snap out of their daydreams and the one with the sunglasses called out to her.

"Are you a ghost? Or an angel?"

She laughed. That had to be the single lamest come on she's ever heard. But then again it wasn't the first time she had her ghost genes questioned (You'd think you could tell just by looking at her translucent tail!) and she knew there was a heavy chance that they were actually serious about it so she played along.

"See?" She replied as she turned invisible for a brief second. She reappeared again and told them

"I don't have any wings in my back either. I'm a regular ghost just like you three." She gave them her best dazzling smile and she watched as goofy looks appeared on each of their faces. What could she say? When you've got it, you've got it.

"Do you need any help?" She asked one last time. As much fun as it was being drooled over by the male population (And some females), whether human or ghost (And apparently any species), she really had to get going. They seemed to snap of their daydreams again and the one with the sunglasses finally answered her question.

"Yes, um well we are actually looking for-"

"I know where we're going!" The vulture with the hump in his beak interrupted.

"You so do not." The one with the smooth beak said.

"We've been circling this town for hours! We could have been halfway to Florida by now!" The sunglasses vulture angrily stated. "Just ask this lovely ghost girl for directions!"

"Yes ask her!" The smooth beak one firmly said. The hump beak vulture signed.

"We are on a search and destroy mission." He frustratedly stated. "Can you help us find, and peck to death, this guy here?" He showed her a torn picture. He was young and his hair was much more longer and fuller than it was now but she'd recognize that face anywhere.

"Dad?" She replied completely shocked.

"Ah-hah see? I told you she'd know where he is!" Said the sunglassed one excitedly.

Suddenly the clock tower chimed 10.

'Damn it.' She thought temporarily forgetting about the vultures. 'I'm going to be late!'

"Ghost girl?"

She snapped out of her thoughts to see the vultures looking at her expectantly. So they wanted to know where her dad was? Well she didn't want to disappoint.

"Yeah I know where he is," She replied while grinning inwardly like a Cheshire Cat, "In fact instead of telling you where he is, I'll do you one better. I'll bring you to him."

"Really!?" The three vultures shouted excitedly.

"Of course." She replied and as quick as a flash brought out the Fenton Thermos and sucked all three inside. She immediately slammed the lid shut. "You don't mind meeting Dad while trapped inside this Thermos the entire time right?" She asked them knowing full well they couldn't hear her inside. However her fun moment was ruined when she noticed the time on the clock tower.

10:02.

"Oh Damn it!" She shouted as she zoomed towards her mini bike. She checked to see if the coast was clear and then changed quickly back to her human side. She revved up the bike and sped over to her house. She knew she was late already but maybe her parents would just cut her some slack seeing as she was barely five minutes over curfew.

'Better yet.' She thought as she parked her bike out front and headed toward her house. 'They would be so busy with their ghost gadgets that they wouldn't even notice me come in the house.' But that plan was quickly shot to hell as soon as she opened the door and saw her parents with their arms crossed looking very, very upset.

"You're late again young lady!" Her dad said angrily. Her last thought running through her head before her parents got to ranting was

Well ain't this a bitch.

.

Cue theme song

(She's a phantom) (Dani Phantom, Dani Phantom, Dani phantom)

Yo, Dani Fenton, she was just 16, When her parents built a very strange machine, It was designed to view, a world unseen.

(She's gonna catch em all 'cause she's Dani Phantom.)

When it didn't quite work, her folks, they just quit, But then Dani took a look inside of it, There was a great big flash, everything just changed, Her molecules got all rearranged!

(Phantom, Phantom)

When she first woke up, she realized, She had snow white hair, and glowin' blue eyes. She could walk through walls, disappear, and fly, She was much more unique than the other guys. And it was then that she knew what she had to do, She had to stop all the ghosts that were comin' through, She's here to fight, for me and you! She's-

Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's (Dani Phantom.)

.

Wednesday. December 21st, 2004. Fenton Works. 10:09 p.m.

.

"Dani this is becoming a real problem. You're constantly late coming home." Her mother told her crossed.

Her dad's head peeked around from the invention he was working on. "You're shirking from your chores."

"I mean if you were out on date we'd understand-" Her mother rambled.

'Oh God here it comes.' She thought as she slumped on the couch. 'The date fight.'

"You're shirking from your cho-What!? Dating!?" Her father's body quickly sprung from behind his invention and he quickly pointed his finger at her. "No dating before you're thirty young lady!" He sternly told her.

"Come now Jack," Her mother replied, placing her hands on her hips, "Dani is already seventeen. I think she's old enough to start going on dates. Why just this morning I was talking to Susan Baxter-"

"Oh God mom! Not Dash again!" Dani groaned. Since she was fourteen her mother has been trying to get her together with Dash. Her blood boiled just thinking about him and his sadistic mother.

"Dash Baxter? Now that's a great kid!" Her father said excitedly, all past date rage completely forgotten. "Always has time to help me with my ghost fighting equipment."

'Yeah because he wants to sneak a glimpse of me at home.' She thought furiously. 'The twisted perverted creep.'

"Hey didn't he and Dani already go out on a date?" Her dad questioned and grabbed his chin as if remembering something.

"One date!" She answered, jumping up from the couch. "And the only reason I went out with him is because I lost one stupid bet!"

"Well obviously that one date meant a lot to Dash." Her mom cut in looking very upset. "I will never understand why you couldn't bother returning his phone calls. He obviously thinks the world of you."

"Yeah and remember that one day a few weeks ago? Dash picked you up after school. You even went out to dinner with him! You didn't seem to have a problem with him then." Her father added.

'Yeah because Sydney Pointdexter shapeshifted into my body and I was trapped in the Ghost Zone!' She seethed. But there was no way her parents could ever know that happened. Not that they would believe her anyway.

"And it's not just Dash Dani," Her mother continued, signing as she did so. "You've just been so distant lately that I really don't know what has possibly gotten into you."

'Ghost genes.' She thought automatically. But that would never work reality wise. She had to come up with something believable that wouldn't end with her dissected on a lab table.

"Look I'm under a lot of pressure right now. You two have no idea what it's like to be a teenager today!"

She figured if she tried the old 'woe to me I'm a teenager' argument it would have at least a 50/50 chance of actually working. Unfortunately for her, her mother wasn't buying it.

"Come on Dani that's the oldest trick in the book." She replied with her hands crossed. "There's nothing you're going through that you're father and I didn't go through when we were your age."

Just then Dani's elbow went intangible and phased through the couch. Panicked, she quickly brought it back out, signing in relief as it turned back to the way it was. Thank God that was the only moment her parents weren't paying any attention to her.

"Yeah well I beg to differ." She mumbled, still cradling her elbow. Just then her brother Jake, after the whole time of not saying anything and just sitting quietly reading a psychology book, decided to come to Dani's defense. And thus managed to screw her over a million times more than if he'd just shut up!

"The reason Dani doesn't think you can relate to her is that you never take the time to tell her about your childhood." Jake said while closing his book.

"Jake!" Dani said annoyed. But Jake completely ignored her.

"Have you ever told her how you met? About your first date?" Jake continued.

"Jake!" Dani shouted really annoyed. He was going to completely ruin everything for her! She could see her parents pondering Jake's words and that was the last thing she needed! Her to be held hostage while her parents reminisced about the old days!

"Where you went to college?" Jake finished, still ignoring her.

"You know Jake that's a great idea!" Her father excitedly said.

"Is is?" Jake responded confused.

"What is?" Her mother said equally confused.

"This is!" Her father happily shouted, while holding up an invitation. "You can come with your mother and I to our college reunion."

"I can…?" Why in the world would she want to go to their college reunion!? She noticed the date of the reunion and arched her eyebrows in disbelief. "Christmas Eve?"

"Wisconsin!?" Jake shouted bewildered, his voice clearly not happy about it either. "At Christmas Eve!?"

"Sure my old pal Vlad is throwing a huge shindig there. A college reunion and Christmas Eve jam all rolled into one." Her father excitedly responded. "Word is Vladdy's even got-"

"Hell-lo!" Dani interrupted, frustration and a hint of anger seeping through her voice. "Doesn't anybody in here remember what we do every year on Christmas Eve!?"

"Oh Dani of course we remember our annual family trip." Her mother gently replied to her in a soothing tone. "We were going to spend the day in New York with Michael like we planned and then fly off to the reunion party. But now, with Jake's idea, we all get to be together as a family for a couple of days. And on a road trip! After all, next autumn you two will be away at college in completely different states. Who knows how many more opportunities like this we'll have as a family before you two graduate?"

Actually Dani and Jake wouldn't be that far apart, only an hour away. Jake already got his acceptance letter and Dani was still waiting on hers but she was sure she was going to make the cut. And it wasn't like her mother and those wrenched Baxters weren't just going to fly over and ruin her college years like they ruined her high school ones. But at least then at college she would be semi-independant. It was still a hell of a lot better than where she was right now.

"We'll take the RV so the whole family can go together." Her father said, placing one of his large arms around her mother. "You can learn more about your mother and my college days, and while we drive, I can blather on about ghosts!" Just then her parents invention went haywire and spilled green goo on top of Jake's head.

"Ha-hah! It works! I can't wait to blather on about that too!" Her dad said overjoyed.

Dani groaned. A cross country road trip with her family? And on Christmas Eve too? She'd rather be trapped in the Ghost Zone again.


	3. Arguments

Wednesday. December 21st, 2004. Dani's Room. 11:15p.m.

.

"Honestly Dani I don't know why you're so unkind to him. Dash has always been the perfect gentleman to you ever since he was a child."

'Gentleman!?' Dani seethed, while switching to her pajama pants. 'HE'S A FUCKING EVIL STALKER!'

Dani was currently in her bedroom getting ready for a good night's sleep before they had to hit the road tomorrow. Which would be so much easier if she didn't have her mother breathing down her back. She had spent an hour finishing the chores her mother insisted on leaving for her and was currently sitting on her bed, with her mother at her side, listening to her blab about Dash nonstop. She quickly glanced at her Gone With The Wind clock that was hanging on her wall.

11:15 p.m. Damn it! Forty-five more minutes until her mother got the hell out!

Damn Dash Baxter! Damn him to the fiery pits of hell! If it wasn't for him, his wicked witch of a mother would have never suggested 'Mother, daughter' time to her mother! Now Dani was stuck for an hour with her mother while she discussed why being Dash Baxter's girlfriend is great news for everyone involved.

Everyone except her, that is.

"I mean honestly Dani," Her mother told her, while listing off all the things with her hand. "You go to all the school functions with him, all the city celebrations with him, you attend all his football games, he takes you on every vacation he goes on, you're practically his girlfriend already! You're even wearing his necklace, for goodness sakes!"

Dani glared at her mother. Rage filled every part of her being at the mere mention of the dog collar she's been forced to wear for almost a year.

"Dash Baxter," She responded slowly and deliberately, "is not my boyfriend. We are not even friends. I only tolerate him because of you."

Her mother's face turned red with rage. Dani signed. Here it comes...

"WELL YOUNG LADY," Her mother exploded, rising from the bed she was sitting on. "LET'S SEE IF YOU 'TOLERATE' STAYING GROUNDED UNTIL NEXT YEAR!"

"Great!" She fired back, standing chest to chest with her mother. "Now I don't have to go to your stupid reunion party on Christmas Eve!"

"OH YOU'RE GOING IF I HAVE TO DRAG YOU BY THE HAIR-"

"ENOUGH!"

Her father's voice, so loud and forceful, and so unlike him, shocked Dani and her mother into silence. Dani looked to see her father standing in the doorway absolutely fuming. She hadn't seen him that angry since he nearly beat Jake's kindergarden teacher to death over twelve years ago.

It was too bad the police came before her father could finish the job.

"Apologize to your mother Dani." He ordered.

"Sorry." She quickly said. Best not tempt fate. The last thing she needed was a fight with her father. He was the only understanding one. Without him, she would be stuck with her mother. And Jake.

She'd would rather be trapped in a vortex.

"Maddie," Her father said while massaging his temple. "Say goodnight to Dani. It's past her bedtime."

Her mother started to protest but her father held up his hand in warning. Her mother signed, gave Dani a kiss on the cheek, and quickly left the room. Her father walked right over to her bedside. He ushered her to join him.

"Dani," He said as soon as she sat down next to him. "What I can't understand is why you continue to lead Dash on? Your mother is right, you do go to all his football games, all his vacations, every city celebration we have here in Amity Park. Why continue to go out with him? Why not just tell him you're just not that interested and give back the necklace?"

"I just-" Dani started but found she couldn't finish. There was no explanation she could give about Dash that her father would believe. The irony of the situation overwhelmed her.

"Do you feel pressured by him?" Her father asked, his eyebrows narrowing in suspicion. "Because if he's pressuring you tell me right now! I'll go down there and set him straight!"

For a split second, she almost told him the truth. Almost told him that Dash had been pressuring her ever since she was fourteen years old. Almost told him that yes, she would love to go right now to kick Dash Baxter's ass but she just had to grab her metal baseball bat first.

"No Dad of course Dash isn't pressuring me." She lied through her teeth, shaking out those thoughts out from her head. "It's just that I've known him since freshman year and I'm not really ready to date but mom keeps insisting-" Her father cut her off.

"I completely understand princess."

Dani really doubted that.

"You're just not interested in dating at your age that's all." He continued. "I kept trying to tell your mother that but she kept insisting you were interested in Dash. But I told her that you only went out with him because you've known him so long and he's the only boy you can really trust."

Dani nodded vigorously. That would work.

"But Dani," Her father said while shaking his head. "Dash really likes you. He talks about you all the time. I know it breaks his heart when he sees you treat him so callously. Men have feelings too, though they don't show them as often as women would like."

Dani looked away. She couldn't tell her father that Dash didn't have a heart.

"Just something to think about darling." Her father told her while giving her a kiss on the cheek. He got up and headed for the door. He suddenly stopped at the doorway and then turned to face her.

"Dani." He said, scratching his head in a testament to his discomfort. "I was thinking and it is Christmas Eve and maybe-"

"Dad it's fine." She reassured, knowing where he was going with this and placing a fake, but convincing, smile on her face. "It's great actually. I've always wanted to visit Wisconsin anyway and I'd love to see your old college friends."

'Yep perfect Christmas Eve.' She sarcastically thought. 'Nothing better than spending it with a bunch of cheeseheads I don't know and watching my father try to dance the Hammer in spandex again.'

Oh God, like last year's embarrassment wasn't bad enough! Well at least she wouldn't know these people this time and got to leave a state away afterwords.

A wide grin appeared on her father's face at her words and he appeared be to back to his old self again.

"Well sleep tight princess! Tomorrow morning we hit the road!" He happily shouted, his hand switching off the light in her room.

When her father shut her door and she could hear his footsteps fade out, she got up and went to her walk in closet. For a moment she stood and stared at her reflection in mirror hanging in her door. With the full moon in the sky and her curtains wide open, she could make out every inch of her body. She could see why people tend to lose all of their senses when they first saw her.

Her beauty was...unnatural. Something about it just wasn't human.

And it seemed no matter how hard she tried to make herself look more normal looking, it just wouldn't work. Her hair was long and lustrous, free of tangles and split ends no matter how long she went without brushing it. Her skin was flawless and radiant even though she ate junk food every single day. Her lips were red and her eyelashes thick and long even though she didn't use any make-up.

It was so frustrating! It's been that way ever since she hit fourteen three years ago. It was just like she woke up...changed, for the lack of a better word. She was reasonably pretty before but that day she woke up stunning. She could hardly believe her eyes when she looked into the mirror at the beautiful stranger who was staring back at her. And the changes continued for a year until she finally was 'goddess' Dash always called her out to be. Even her voice had changed. What once was sweet was now siren-like. Her mother had laughed at her when she brought it up to her and told her it was just puberty setting in, that she went through the very same thing when she was a teenager. Minus the voice, of course, her mother's singing made dogs bark and glasses shatter.

And that was the very last time Dani ever went to her mother for any kind of advice that wasn't ghost related.

She quickly snapped out of her thoughts and grabbed the knob to her closet door. When she opened it, rough hands grabbed her and threw her on the floor. She fell on something soft (Probably her clothes) and her hair flew into her face. But even with no light in the room and her hair blocking her view, she knew who it was.

He came every single night.

"Hello Dash." She drawled out as his hands moved her hair and his lips descended on hers.


	4. The Ultimatum

Wednesday. December 21st, 2004. Dani's Closet. 11:42 p.m.

.

"You're beautiful."

Dani rolled her eyes. He's been saying that for three years! Since the moment he met her. She knew she was beautiful, but she had more qualities than just that! Not that Dash even remotely cared about anything other than her stunning good looks.

"You know our anniversary is coming up in a few days?"

Speak of the devil.

She saw his ice blue eyes turn to her. She was always creeped out by them. They were so cruel, so hollow, so empty.

"Do you want anything extra special for the event?" He softly asked her, while giving her another kiss.

"My freedom!" She harshly whispered, pulling back from the kiss. His laughter echoed throughout her huge closet, sending chills down her spine.

"Darling I never messed with your freedom." He told her, caressing her cheek with his knuckles.

"Just my family!" She defiantly responded, moving her head away from his capture. Suddenly he grabbed her hair and forced her to look at him.

"That's right. And if you ever breathe a word about me or my family, you'll never find their bodies." He cruelly stated and those blue eyes of his showed malicious intent.

"I won't. You know I won't." She quickly said, hoping to appease him. The last time he had gotten angry with her Star, one of her best friends, was in the hospital for a month with an mysterious illness. It was only after she promised to be his date to the junior prom that Star got better.

She was his cousin too but of course Dash didn't care, he didn't care about anybody but his own selfish wants. He would of killed her in cold blood for a prom date.

"Oh I know sweetheart. I know you won't." He reassured her, placing soft kisses along her scalp.

His very next words made Dani freeze in terror.

"Be my wife."

Dani looked at Dash, praying he was joking but he looked at her with dead serious eyes, making her heart bottom out in fear. She didn't know what to say. No? He'd kill her family. Yes? She'd kill herself and then Dash would kill her family anyway out of spite. She was trapped. She was trapped and there was no way out. She always knew this day would come but she thought she'd have at least eight more years. He promised her eight more years!

"You promised me-" She started to say but was rudely cut off.

"I lied." He harshly said, glaring at her with those cold blue eyes.

"Why-" She tried to ask but was cut off once again.

"You tolerate me?"

Dani froze in fear. Dash's words were whispered, as if he was in disbelief Dani could ever say such a thing about him.

"YOU TOLERATE ME!?"

His words were murderous now and Dash looked about ready to kill her. Dani could do nothing but watch and listen to Dash rage at her.

"After all I've done for you, after all I've sacrificed, after all we've been through together, you tolerate me!? Do you know what I've been through because of you!? DO YOU CARE!?" He roared at her, painfully grabbing her hair and holding her at eye level.

Dani could say nothing. She's never seen Dash this mad at her before.

'Why is he so angry with me?' She thought terrified, staring at his savage expression. 'It's not like I haven't said worse things about him!'

She didn't dare say anything, he was too unstable. He might kill her entire family tonight if she said the wrong thing! After a minute or two, Dash calmed down and showed no signs of the outburst he displayed earlier before. He relaxed his hold and softly massaged the places where he'd pulled her hair. His face held a calm exterior, but Dani knew it was just a facade. His eyes showed his true anger.

"Be my wife Dani." He cooly stated while running his fingers through her hair. His ice blue eyes glared at her, as if daring her to say no.

'When hell freezes over!' She was dying to say. But she had no choice. If she'd said that he would kill one of her family members. And she couldn't let that happen. No matter how much it would kill her. She willed herself not to cry but she could feel the wetness fill her eyes.

"Yes." She forced out, blinking back tears from her eyes.

A sinister smile appeared on Dash's face.

"That's my girl." He praised her and Dani felt sickened. "We'll keep it a secret for now and wait until our anniversary to announce the wonderful news."

He looked at Dani expectantly. She nodded her head 'Yes' but she couldn't help but think to herself that this was it. Her life was over.

Literally.

"Now then I have a very important business meeting to attend and we both have to be up early for our road trip tomorrow. I think it's only fitting your boyfriend attend, don't you agree?"

Panic was building in her like a hurricane, Dani had to do something to halt the wedding. For a few moments of sheer desperation, she tried reasoning with him. She knew the odds of him agreeing with her were about as good as her father finally giving up fudge and going on a diet. But she had to try something. She couldn't go down like this. Not yet.

"Dash you don't want to do this."

His ice blue eyes narrowed on her and Dani prayed he didn't do anything rash, like murder her family in their sleep. After a few tense moments of silence Dash spoke, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"You're right darling. I don't want to marry the most beautiful siren to ever grace the planet that mage powers have absolutely no effect on. What on earth was I thinking? I'd rather marry the blonde bimbos I fuck every other day whose minds are so easy to manipulate. Thank you for making me see the light sweetheart."

"I'm poor." She continued with gritted teeth. God she hated that evil pig.

"I don't care." He replied, twirling a strand of her hair.

"I have no family background." She insisted.

"Don't care." He responded, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"I'm not a mage." Desperation seeped into her voice. She was quickly running out of excuses to give him.

Dash chuckled at her distress and said the words that made her blood run cold. Well colder.

"But you're half ghost."

Silence followed that statement. Deep down in her heart of hearts, Dani had always known Dash knew all about her condition. But she had hoped this to be one secret she could actually keep for herself. She should have known better. She should have known there was nothing going on in Amity Park that the Baxters didn't know about.

"How long-?" She started before Dash interrupted her.

"Have I known about it?" His tone was mocking, as if the thought of Dani even keeping a secret away from him was something to be laughed at. "Since the beginning sweetheart. Dunking behind a van to change? Phasing in the middle of the room? Did you honestly believe that no one saw you? We live in a city! Who do you think was the one who had to erase those tapes and modify all those people's memories? Me, that's who! I knew the first day you got your powers! I warned you to stay away from your parents lab but no, you refused to listen to me like you always do. Although," He mused, sniffing Dani's hair and signing in content. "This does make things a lot easier for everybody."

"Easier?" Dani asked confused. "How in the world does me being half dead make things easier?"

"Yes, well, as you know my mother never wanted me to marry you." Dash reminded her as if Dani could ever forget his evil witch of a mother. "She wanted me to take you as a mistress and then once I grew bored with you have you executed."

Dani's voice hitched. Hearing him speak of her death so callously still sent chills up and down her body.

"Oh don't worry sweetheart. I would never have grown bored with you!" Dash reassured her, kissing her softly on the head. "You're way too beautiful. Anyway there's no need for that anymore. My mother has finally agreed with me and allowed me to take you as a wife."

"But why? There are so many better suitors-"

"Who darling? Who's a better suitor?" He genuinely asked her, sniffing out her hair. "I am Dash Baxter, heir to the richest, most powerful mage family in the entire world. To marry anyone would be beneath me. To marry someone from another mage family would cause unwanted tension and name tampering. Not to mention attempts to assassinate me to steal my name and fortune. So who's a better suitor than a girl with no family name so I don't have to deal with all that drama? Who's a better suitor than a girl who mages powers have absolutely no effect on even before she got her ghost powers never mind afterward?"

Dani stood silent. She tried to say something, anything, to contradict that statement, but nothing was coming to her.

"And the children we'll have. Imagine it darling!" And Dani could hear the sick relish in his voice. "Children with mage powers and ghost powers! And, with any luck, the strange siren powers you seem to have and the ability to be unaffected by other mages powers. The absolute power the Baxter family will attain! We'll be unstoppable!"

"You're already unstoppable!"

It was a lie, of course, but Dani knew that mentioning the Guys in White would not help her case at all with Dash. In fact he might have pushed the wedding up to tomorrow out of spite if she did.

"As long as he's around." Dash admitted with gritted teeth but his words after were spoken with delight. "And even then there are...complications. (Dani secretly delighted in the rage in Dash's tone at the mention of the Guys in White's independence from the Baxters) But with you darling we won't need him anymore. He'll be a relict of the past. Our children will be the ones who will be the most powerful in the entire planet and those pesky little problems we've been having will finally be taken care of! I can't wait until you start having them!"

"But," Dani said desperately, the mere thought of children with Dash filling her with disgust. "It won't be for awhile-"

"Awhile? Awhile? Darling why do you think my mother has agreed to this wedding in the first place?" Dash rhetorically asked, staring at Dani with those cold blue eyes. "For the children sweetheart. She expects you to be with child before the next year's end."

When Dash laid his hand protectively on her abdomen, Dani couldn't take it anymore. Everything...everything was too much for her. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Her very life vanished. All her hopes, all her dreams, all her plans...just gone. Gone with the wind. Gone by the monster she was laying next to. Who expected her to have children and give them up to become some sort of weapon.

"I'm too young to be a mother." She cried out through her hands. Dash quickly wrapped his arms around her in comfort.

"Now, now darling," Dash's tone was soothing. "I know the idea of motherhood may seem daunting at first but once you hold that baby in your hands-"

Dani sobbed even louder.

"Enough Dani." Dash's tone was aggravated now. "Stop acting like a child!"

"I am a child!" She asserted, moving away from Dash's grip. "I'm only seventeen-"

"You'll be graduated by the time of the wedding-"

"And you except me to be married with a baby!" She exclaimed, nearly ripping out her hair in frustration. "How am I suppose to handle being a parent? What would my mother and father think? What would they say? How on earth can you explain it to them that their daughter's pregnant and they're about to be grandparents? There are things that not even mage powers can handle and one of those things is being a teenaged parent!"

A thought occurred to her. A thought that might save her or at least buy her some more time.

"How do you even know I'll be able to carry a baby, or even form one, now that I have ghost powers?"

Once again, silence followed that statement. Guilty silence.

"Oh my God..." She whispered, the horrifying truth dawning on her. "You-you had me examined didn't you?"

"I simple checked to make sure-"

"When!?" Dani demanded, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

"When you were sleeping darling. When else? And it turned out you are perfectly capable of forming and carrying a child to full term, whether you're in your ghost form or not. It's really amazing how your womb is built-"

Something in Dani just snapped at his nonchalant confession and she screamed in rage at him.

"You jackass! You unbelievable jackass! I'm expected to have get married, have a baby, and take care of it all by myself while you're off playing ball or fucking one of those many whores that I'm sure you're going to keep on the side!? Well you can forget it! THAT'S NOT HAPPENING!"

"YOU WILL HAVE AS MANY CHILDREN AS I TELL YOU TO HAVE!" He roared down her, his ice blue eyes alight with fury. "I am your future husband and I will be obeyed! We are not in any conceivable way equals, I am a Baxter! I am your superior! I will fuck as many women as I want, play as much football as I want, and I will NEVER need your permission to do it!"

"Like I would give it to you!" She snapped back at him, her fists pounding on his chest. "So you're a Baxter right? Well I'm a Fenton! I deserve some whores too-"

"You will never allow another man to come into your bed."

The statement was spoken with such malice that Dani stopped in shock and fear. He was dead serious.

"I am not kidding Dani." Dash turned to Dani and she saw those blue eyes fill with malevolence. "So help me God should I find out you've been sleeping around on me. No amount of begging or pleading will spare your loved ones from my wrath."

Tears streamed down Dani's cheeks. A sense of hopelessness washed over her and she buried her face into her hands and sobbed once more.

"Now darling don't cry." Dash wrapped his arms around her once again. "After all, you were the one who agreed to marry me in the first place."

"Because you threatened to kill my family!" She shouted back, rage in her eyes, pushing Dash's arms off her.

"So what?" Dash scoffed. "You'd be much better off anyway without that idiotic fatass-"

Her fist slammed into his face before he was able to finish that statement. Dani took sick pleasure as Dash's head snapped back with the force of the blow and he was thrown a couple of feet away. White rings rapidly encased her body and she found herself glaring furiously at Dash, her hands leaking ectoplasmic energy. For the briefest of moments, she felt like killing him.

But as quickly as that moment came it left. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she just had done. She had just damned her family. Dash or Susan would surely send him to kill one of them as punishment!

'Oh my God!' She fearfully thought, switching back to human form and walking over to him. 'What have I done!?'

"Dash I'm sorry-" She tried to apologize but was quickly cut off when a fist wrapped in her hair and harsh lips met her own. Dash kissed her deeply, drinking in her taste. Dani was gasping and breathless when he broke the kiss in favor of her neck.

"Such strength and determination." He whispered hotly in her neck, licking and feathering it with light kisses. "Our children will be powerful indeed."

"Dash my family-" She pleaded but was cut off again by another long kiss, Dash running his large hands all through her body. He broke the kiss and leaned his head against her hair.

"I grant you clemency." Dash murmured softly in her ear, inhaling her scent once more. "But just this one time."

After a few silent moments, Dash then laid them both on the ground, putting her head on his chest while he ran her fingers though her hair. Dani looked up at the ceiling, which her dad had decorated with glow-in-the-dark stars. Tears came to her eyes just thinking about him. How could he ever handle what Dash was planning for her? It would break his heart.

Dash was the first to break the silence.

"Now darling, now that that's out of your system we won't be having any more of that, now will we?"

"No." She softly responded back.

"I can't hear you sweetheart, what was that?" He whispered mockingly in her ear.

"I said no." She replied louder, feeling familiar rage boil up inside her.

"Good girl." Dash praised again and Dani felt like knocking him out with a brick. He continued. "Now, almost a year ago, we had a deal. Now I have become forced to set that plan back a few years. But you only have yourself and your careless, thoughtless actions to blame for it. Now I would hate to go back on my end of the bargain if you didn't live up to yours. So let's get this straight. This New Year's Eve, who are you going to proclaim in front of all of Amity Park as your boyfriend?"

"You." This will not break me.

 

"And on the morning of Lughnasadh's day, who are you going to confess your undying love to and marry?"

"You." I am stronger than this.

 

"And at night," His tone grew husky and full of passion. "Who are you going to be making love to beneath the stars and full moon?"

"You." He has no power over me.

 

"That's better darling." Dash softly replied, running his fingers through her hair. "You'll soon see this is for the best. You'll see how generous I am actually being with you."

Suddenly, in Dani's mind, the Labyrinth scene popped up. Why? She had no clue. Maybe because Sarah's situation reminded her so much of her own. Or maybe in her desperation and anguish, she had completely lost what was left of her mind.

Sarah beware I have been generous up till now. But I can be cruel.

"Generous?" Dani asked incredulously. "What have you done that's generous?"

Generous? What have you done that's generous?

"Everything!" He snapped back, his tone filled with rage. "If it weren't for my love and protection, one of the other families would have surely nabbed you a long time ago and kept you as a shared whore! I give you freedom, with limits of course, and everything you can ever desire. I have protected you all these years, I have cared for you, I have loved you, I have showered you with diamonds and pearls and what do you do to repay me!? Shove it all in my face!

*Everything!* Everything that you wanted I have done! You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time! I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for *you.* I am exhausted from living up to your expectations. Isn't that generous?

"Honestly Dani I'm not asking for much." Dani could hear the weariness in his voice and it infuriated her. "All I ask is that you give me a little love, a little power over you and I will be your slave. I will be forever devoted to you. I will even stop taking other women, if that's what you desire. All you have to do is obey me and everything that I have is yours.

I ask for so little. Just let me rule you. And you can have everything that you want. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.

"So what do you say darling?" Dash finished in a hopeful tone. He gazed at her longingly with those ice cold eyes and Dani felt like ripping them out.

Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom as great...

"You have no power over me." She spat back at him, her black eyes filled with fury.

Once the statement came from her lips, Dani felt nothing but relief. It sounded crazy to say but Dani has been telling that to Dash for almost three years. That even though he had power over the city and her family, he had no power over her. And if he made her come to him, she was coming kicking and screaming!

His eyes hardened. For a moment Dani thought she went too far and Dash might just lose it with everything that just happened.

But he didn't.

"Very well." He bitterly replied.

He picked her up abruptly, strode out of the closet, and dumped her unceremoniously on the bed. Dani quickly sat up, brushing her thick black locks away from her face.

"Oh here darling before I forget." Dash harshly stated, conjuring up a paper right in front of Dani's eyes. "A little early Christmas present for you. It's just a copy but I'm sure you can appreciate the sentiment."

She stared at it for a few moments in horror as she read out the title.

Certificate of Marriage.

And on the signature giving parental permission was her mother's name. Madeline Fenton. Somehow to her that part wasn't as surprising and painful as it should have been. She reminded herself that her mother had no choice, that Susan had bewitched her.

'Then why isn't your father's name on it? It needs both signatures!' A nasty voice in her head told her but she quickly shook it off. This paper proved something, something that made her blood boil.

Dash had been planning this for over a month.

'That son of a bitch!' Dani fumed, glaring at Dash with hatred in her eyes.

Dash glared right back at her, daring her to say or do something about it. When she didn't he started speaking again, his voice hard and unsympathetic.

"I could have taken you a very long time ago but I chose not to out of my love and devotion for you. But everybody has limits Dani. There's only so much one can take before they snap. You have no one to blame for your predicament but yourself. This marriage will be consummated Dani, that I can guarantee. I can also guarantee you that children will be produced from this union. The rest is up to you darling. Now whether you choose to embrace me as your loving husband or as the devil is your say."

Dani stared at him furiously but didn't say one word. By now she knew better. Nothing she could say would make Dash want to change his mind about her. Just by looking at his feral eyes trained on her and the deadly edge in his tone kept Dani at bay.

When Dash started speaking again, his tone changed into something desperate and hopeful.

"We can be happy Dani. We can grow old together and watch our children and grandchildren play together from the years to come." Dash kneeled at the side of the bed and made eye contact with her. She could see the madness in his ice blue eyes. He looked at her for a few moments, as if searching for something. Apparently he didn't find it because he quickly stood back up and glared down menacing at her. "Or you can continue to piss me off and you can watch while I fuck other women in our bedroom. The choice is yours." He ruthlessly finished.

With a flick of his wrist, her curtains were drawn, and the room was overcome in darkness.

Dash gave her one last kiss, sharply whispered in her ear "Think about it. I'll see you in the morning sweetheart." and then vanished.

After Dani hid the Marriage Certificate, she laid in her bed for a long while trying not to panic and thinking about how the hell she was going to get out of this situation. The more she thought about it, the more depressed and overwrought she became. She could find no way out. The collar Dash gave her seemed so much heavier now and was even more of a huge reminder of the total control Dash had over her life.

Suddenly, as she was about to break down in tears again, the Labyrinth scene came to mind again and Dani felt a way of fiery determination rush over her as she recalled Sarah's words.

'This won't break me.' Was Dani's last conscious thought as she slipped into her dreamworld. 'I refuse to let the Baxters win. They have no power over me.'


	5. Memories

Dani's Dream/Flashback.

.

It was hotter than hell.

Dani stood sweating buckets outside her house in a pink dress her mother forced her to wear and frantically tried to fan herself with her hands to keep cool. She was waiting with Dash while her mother fixed her father's and Jake's new suits for the wedding. Dani could of waited inside but she found the idea of being baked alive in the sun more tempting than listening to her mother yap endlessly to her about how she and Dash made such a cute couple.

Of course Dash followed her outside to the blaring heat, like he follows her everywhere, being the lovesick puppy he is.

"God I wish I was sixteen so I can just drive myself there." She groaned to him as the sun bore down on her. "Why the hell are your cousins getting married in August anyway?" 

"It's traditional." Dash simply told her. "The men and women of my family always get married in August."

"August? Seriously?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "What ever happened to being a June bride?"

"Being a June bride is overrated." He replied, rolling his eyes at the concept. "Besides the whole June thing only started when the Romans took over, traditionally people were married in August."

"Yeah well when I get married it isn't going to be in August." Dani said as she imagined her own snowy wedding, desperately wishing for just one snowflake to hit her in this brutal summer. "It'll be in the wintertime."

"Why?" He asked her, his cool blue eyes filled with question. "A blizzard can hit and ruin all your plans."

Dani shuddered despite the heat. Dash's eyes seemed so creepy she just couldn't help it.

"Rather a blizzard hits than a heat wave that sweats you out of your clothes." She replied back, hoping he didn't notice her reaction. "Why aren't you sweating?"

Dash didn't have one bead of sweat on him, his suit was flawless and his hair impeccable verses Dani whose hair and dress were both damp with sweat. Occasionally Dani wondered if Dash was even human sometimes and this would be one of them.

"I have a very high heat tolerance." He simply said.

"God it hasn't rained since June." She whined, fanning her hands more frantically over her face in a sorry attempt to get cool. "I don't know if I can take much more of this."

"Here."

Dash reached into his pocket and temptingly pulled out an electric fan. And one with water and a nozzle to make mist!

She forcibly turned her head away from it before she could snatch it up.

"No thanks." Dani quickly said as her mind screamed that she was being a fool, to take the fan. "I'm fine as is."

"Why won't you accept it?" Dash asked her, his tone filled with frustration and annoyance. "Why won't you accept any of my gifts?"

"Because accepting gifts gives people power of me and no one has power over me." She explained to him, the lessons she learned from the movie 'Labyrinth' running through her mind. "So I don't accept gifts especially from males unless it's a special occasion, like my birthday, or unless they're family-"

"Or your boyfriend."

Dani inwardly groaned. Not the boyfriend thing again.

"Well seeing as my father won't allow me to date until I'm thirty-"

"Your father has permitted you to date at sixteen." Dash interrupted, taking her by the sweaty hand. "I know, I've asked him."

"Well there you have it sixteen." She answered, snatching her hand back which was surprisingly cooler now. "And not a moment sooner."

"So you'll be my girlfriend then?"

"When I'm sixteen," She responded, cursing the hope that filled his eyes and blessing the fact that she had over a year till her sixteenth birthday. "I will give you my answer. But maybe by then you'll have found someone else who has your riches and sophistication."

"Nonsense. Those things are meaningless to me." Dash told her, waving her off. "There's not another woman out there who's as beautiful as you."

"Is beauty all that matters to you?"

"Of course not." He replied as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. "You also have the most gorgeous voice I have ever been graced to hear."

Dani turned away from him in disgust. 

"You're as shallow as a puddle Dash." She said to him. "If I were to step in you I wouldn't ever have to worry about getting my feet wet."


	6. Road Trips

Thursday. December 22nd, 2004. Highway 243. 9:00 a.m.

.

"How does this happen!?" Her brother whined for the millionth time. "You goof up and I have to spend the next two days jammed in the Fenton Ghost RV!?"

She had goofed up? Who was the dumbass who told her parents to take a stroll down memory lane!?

"That's the Fenton Family Ghost Assault Vehicle Folks!" Her dad corrected from the driver's seat. "Every button in this baby is a ghost's worst nightmare!"

'Your daughter's worse nightmare too.' Dani thought bitterly while looking at all the eerie devices around her that could probably rip her apart molecule by molecule. Why her parents insisted on driving the Fenton RV instead of just taking the Honda Pilot was beyond her comprehension. Why did she even win that stupid car if they weren't going to use it?

"Ugh I need some air." She said while reaching for the window switch. Or at least she thought it was the window switch.

"Don't press any buttons!" Her brother warned but it was too late. Her hand had already hit the switch and it was like the car exploded. Weapons seemed to pop out from everywhere and she watched through a small window in the back as a blast took out a huge chunk of a tree. Another froze a poor passing bird. And the last hit a guy who was talking on his cell phone. She found herself thanking God it didn't kill him. (She couldn't say about the bird though.) What she thought was the last blast was in fact the second to last because just then a pipe shot out green slime all over Jake's head. He turned and glared at her, green slime running down from his face to his clothes.

"I'll get you for this." He swore.

Dani threw her head back and laughed.

.

Cue theme song

(She's a phantom) (Dani Phantom, Dani Phantom, Dani phantom)

Yo, Dani Fenton, she was just 16, When her parents built a very strange machine, It was designed to view, a world unseen.

(She's gonna catch em all 'cause she's Dani Phantom.)

When it didn't quite work, her folks, they just quit, But then Dani took a look inside of it, There was a great big flash, everything just changed, Her molecules got all rearranged!

(Phantom, Phantom)

When she first woke up, she realized, She had snow white hair, and glowin' blue eyes. She could walk through walls, disappear, and fly, She was much more unique than the other guys. And it was then that she knew what she had to do, She had to stop all the ghosts that were comin' through, She's here to fight, for me and you! She's-

Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's (Dani Phantom.)

.

Jake's head getting hit with slime was the best part of her day. The rest of the day was spent inside the car, with quick breaks outside, listening to her dad talk about this Vlad guy for fourteen hours straight. How the hell did he manage to remember so many stories from twenty years ago and yet couldn't remember to put a new handle on the fridge two nights ago!? And when her dad wasn't taking about Vlad he was rambling on about ghosts.

If only he knew there were three trapped inside the Fenton Thermos in his suitcase.

She had to hide it in his suitcase because her mother was checking her's and her brother's for any kind of computer device. Apparently she wanted them to have 'Family Time' and felt computer devices would get in the way of that.

She managed to hide her ghost related cell phone in her bra (One of the few places she knew her mother wouldn't check) and gave her mother the other cell phone so she would think she didn't have anything with her. Nobody knew about her ghost related cell phone. Nobody. That is except her best friends. Unfortunately she couldn't hide the Fenton Thermos in her bra for obvious reasons so she just stashed it in her dad's suitcase when he wasn't looking. After all, her mother would never question why there was a ghost device in her father's suitcase. And in between breaks when her dad was occupied with something other than Vlad and ghost hunting and Dani felt a bit of relief come back to her, her mother destroyed it by wanting to talk about Dash. It was always 'Dash this' or 'Dash that' or 'Do you know that Dash has already been accepted by Penn State?'

Dani felt like strangling the living daylights out of her. For the millionth time today she felt like telling her mother the truth about Dash. That he was a selfish, evil, spoiled, lying, two-faced, no good snake in the grass! But everything she opened her mouth to blurt out the truth, she just ended up closing it right back up.

It wasn't so much as the promise Dash made to her, about what would happen if Dani ever uttered a word against the Baxters, but the sad reality of things. As much as she hated to admit it, her parents had no friends.

None. Zip. Nada. Well at least none in Amity Park anyway.

They're was a time Dani where they were the butt of jokes and never invited anywhere by anybody. Dani remembered when the people of the city used to mumble 'crackpots' towards their direction and shuffle out their way when the Fentons walked down a street. But now there wasn't a party in Amity Park that the Fentons didn't know firsthand about and they were treated as royalty among commoners. And, as much as Dani loathed to say it, her family's ignorant bliss and the city's newfound appreciation of them was all because of The Baxters involvement.

Well at least Dani got a break now from Dash. Her mother said he and Susan were visiting cousins in Australia which in translation meant that they had an emergency delegation meeting. Dani didn't know how long they'd be gone, last time it was a few hours and another time it was several days, but she hoped it lasted as long as possible.

The less Dani saw of the Baxters the better.

.

Thursday. December 22nd, 2004. Truck Stop. 11:00 p.m.

.

They had parked in a truck stop and frankly Dani found herself extremely exhausted. Her mother was already knocked out (Guess all that talking about Dash tired her out) so she quickly made her bed next to her and found her father and brother doing the exact same thing. When she saw her dad switch to his P.J.'s (He was wearing them under his regular clothes) and grab his teddy bear, Dani signed. Some things never changed. As Dani settled in bed and prepared to drift off to sleep, she heard her father's voice say.

"Get some rest everybody! I want the entire Fenton clan bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when we meet Masters tomorrow."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait,"Her brother interrupted, "Masters? As in Vlad Masters? Who was named Affluence Magazine's 'Billionaire of the Year?"

'He's a billionaire? Dad has a billionaire friend?' Dani thought confused. 'Since when?' She was shocked in the beginning when Dad said he even had a friend because that in itself was so mind blowing for her comprehend but a billionaire friend? All the stories Dad told her was of them trying to prove the existence of ghosts. Did this man actually make his billions doing ghost related stuff?

Was he with the Guys in White? No that was impossible! Dash would never ever gamble her like that.

"That's the guy." Her father happily responded. "In college he was my best friend. We were very popular guys. (Dani had a hard time believing that) Roommates, lab partners, we did everything together. Until the thick fingers of fate stuck themselves right in Vlad's eyes." As her father told the horrifying story of how his incompetence caused his best friend 'Ecto-Acne' accident, forcing him to spend years in the hospital recovering and causing their twenty years of silence, Dani started to get a little worried. Something was just not right with this story.

"-But the good news is I think after all these years he's finally forgiven me." Her dad finished in a confident tone. He turned around and soon she could hear his snoring throughout the RV. Minutes later, her brother's snoring followed. Dani stood wide awake, still shaken by her Dad's story. Why would Vlad Masters, a supposed billionaire, wait until twenty years later to bother contacting her father? Did he really forgive him? Was it just to brag about his billions? Or did he have something more sinister in mind?

'I'm going crazy.' Dani thought as she shut her eyes and prepared to doze off. 'A billionaire who has jets and yachts having a twenty year revenge plot against a man in spandex who can barely afford a cell phone. How insane is that?'


	7. Late Night Conversations

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Fenton RV. 2:36 a.m.

.

Dani's eyes shot open.

Her cell phone was vibrating.

Dani quietly got up and quickly glanced at her watch.

2:36a.m.

She headed towards the door, trying her absolute best not to wake her mother, father, or brother. She grabbed her expensive wool and cashmere coat that her mother insisted she'd take and quietly headed out the door. Once she was safely outside, she quickly ran away from the RV. She had to find a safe spot to answer it and make very sure that she was not spotted with her phone by any of her family members. She shuttered to think what would happen if her mom saw her with it. Oh God she could just hear her now 'Danielle Fenton you brought a cell phone!? After I specifically warned you not to!? Where did you get that cell phone anyway!? You don't have a job! If you think I'm going to raise a thief in my household young lady-!' On and on she would go, only pausing for breath. Not to mention she would absolutely kill her just for being outside at night after she warned her a million times not to. And to spare herself that kind of humiliation, she had to make double sure that it was a place her mother would never even think about checking.

There might have been a million ghosts in the area and she would never know. It was freezing outside and it caused her breath to mist all the time. Not that it mattered to her, the cold never bothered her anyway, no matter where she was at. Not since she got her ghost powers last Halloween. Finally after bypassing car after car, she made it to her destination. It was perfect! Her mother would never even think to find her in there!

.

"He did what!?"

"Yep." Her friend anxiously answered and Dani could just imagine her nervously biting her fingernails. "Bought out his whole company right from under him and kicked him right on out. And that wasn't the first time he's done something like that. Vlad Masters is known as the biggest snake in the business world. If he sees something he wants he gets it through any means necessary."

"Paulina." Dani could hear the fear in her voice and it disgusted her. "What do you mean 'by any means necessary'? Are you talking like…murder?"

"I don't know." Paulina quickly answered, a hint of worry in her tone. "There have been some incidents-"

"Incidents!?" Dani questioned completely alarmed by that statement. "What kind of incidents?"

The eerie silence on the other end of the line disturbed her beyond words.

"There was this one guy a few years ago." Paulina started but then hesitated for a few moments.

"Go on." Dani urged.

"Well," Paulina continued, "There was a man named Alex Steffins that once owned one of the biggest communications technology company in the entire country before, of course, Vlad took over. But for years Vlad was trying to buy him out but Alex just wouldn't bulge. He said and I quote 'Never will I sell a single stock to the douchbag Vlad Masters.' "

"He said that!?" Dani asked in shock.

"Yep." Paulina responded, then added. "Said it at a press conference too. I'm telling you this guy hated Vlad Masters. Wouldn't even stay in the same building if he was there, much less a room. He actually fought him once."

"What!?"

"Yeah it was all over the papers. He and Vlad were at some company party when BAM! Alex decks him out."

"He just hit him like that? I mean didn't Vlad have security or something?"

Paulina let out low laugh. "Of course he had security! That's what made it so hilarious!" She said still chuckling. "He had at least ten big and burly guys all around him and Alex still managed to come out of nowhere and give him a shattered jaw."

Dani let out a low whistle. "Damn."

"I know right?"

Dani was almost afraid to ask but she had to know what exactly it was she was getting into.

"So how'd Vlad managed to take over his company?"

"His private jet crashed over the Florida bay." Paulina cooly stated and Dani gasped in horror. "He and the pilot were instantly killed. The Investigators wrote it off as engine failure but it was a brand new plane! And Alex was the type of man who was really into security so it came as a real shock that something like that could have ever happened to him."

"Well planes crash all the time." Dani nervously responded, terror slowly creeping through her entire body.

"Yeah but they didn't even signal for a distress! No call! No nothing! And there were at least four parachutes on board and not one of them used it!? Even if you have engine trouble it still buys you more than enough time to get the hell off the plane!"

"Paulina-"

"I mean come on!," Paulina interrupted, not really noticing her friend's apprehension. "He suddenly kicks the bucket with no wife or kids to leave his company to and, get this, the will was gone! It's like it just vanished into thin air! What are the odds of that happening?"

"Paul-"

"And Vera Rivera!" Paulina continued on a roll. "She owned practically all the fast food restaurants in the nation! She was another one that hated Vlad's guts. Refused him every single time. She was incinerated when her house blew up. Police said it was a gas leak. A gas leak! Can you believe that? And again they never found a will!"

"P-"

"And Fiero Martilini! He owned practically every jewelry store in the continent! Used to curse Vlad out in every language he knew (Which was quite a lot mind you)! Vlad took over his company when he died bungee jumping because his parachute never opened-"

"Paulina please."

The desperation in Dani's voice caused Paulina to stop dead sentence.

"Oh my God Dani I'm sorry." Paulina apologetically said. "I'm so sorry! I just thought-I'm sorry-"

"It's O.K." Dani interjected, trying to get her breathing under control. Unwanted images of her family being slaughtered in their sleep or poisoned as they ate swarm past her. She really shouldn't have asked. Nightmares would definitely be visiting her tonight.

'We'll be fine.' She tried to tell herself to keep calm. 'My family is under the protection of the Baxters.'

But then again Dash had broken his word before, just yesterday, and there was no telling what he was willing to allow now that he was majorly pissed off with Dani. She would definitely be fine from his wrath, of course, but the rest of her family could be up for grabs. Maybe Dash thought that by allowing one of his human puppets (Rich mortals unaware of the magical realm or the Ghost Zone and who really pulls their strings) to kill one of her family members, it would set an example to her. The Baxters were notorious for doing that and Dani knew that oh too well. Dash had always told her Dani's family was completely safe from them but now she wasn't so sure. Dash might be angry enough to allow one of her family members to perish and she knew Susan would be oh too happy to see it through.

Suddenly Dani heard Mr. Sanchez's loud, booming voice in the background, snapping her out of her morbid thoughts.

"Paulina! Paulina who are you talking to!? And why is this door locked!?"

Dani could hear loud, insistent banging over the line.

"No one dad! God can't a girl have some some privacy in her own room!?"

Even louder shouts and banging followed that statement.

"You have 10 seconds to open this door missy before I break it down!"

"Gotta go Dani. But remember, you're Dani Phantom! You can do anything!"

"Eight seconds!"

"And don't let Vlad know you're on to him unless it's absolutely necessary! He's very rich and very dangerous, it's best just to play it safe for now until you gather more information."

"Five seconds!"

"And most importantly, keep your secret safe!"

"Two seconds!"

Dani heard Paulina let out an aggravated sign.

"Alright! I'm coming!"

Dani heard a sound like the door was being teared off its hinges. Mr. Sanchez was no joke.

"Call me if anything!"

Click.


	8. Warnings

Dani's Dream/Flashback

.

"Such a nice man. Wonderful husband."

"Loved his job. Never missed a day of work in his life that man."

"So young. Such a senseless tragedy."

Dani turned away from the adults. She couldn't listen to anymore of their talk. She felt her heart grow heavy as she walked past the casket with the American flag draped on top of it and the sobbing mother leaning against it.

Nick Polmero.

Dani had only met Nick one time a few days ago. He worked on a Precinct in Staten Island but was at the NYPD masquerade party in Manhattan and they just happened to bump into each other.

And Dani meant really bump into each other! Nick accidentally hit her in the nose hard enough to make Dani bleed. She was dressed as the Grim Reaper and refused to remove her hood when bystanders tried to pull it off to help her out.

It's not that she didn't want the help. It's just that people went a little too crazy over her looks.

But Nick was really nice about it, very apologetic, and offered her candy. She remembered his laughing green eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was young, way younger than her cousin Michael. Looked in his early twenties. Dani took the candy and Michael arrived, having heard the commotion, and escorted her out. 

She was a little sad to leave as it was her first day back in the City (She was on spring break) but it was past midnight anyway so she understood. Nick walked them out to their car, still apologizing for what happened. They assured Nick time and time again that it was fine. When they were inside the car and about to leave Dani pulled back her hood and looked at Nick through the car window.

She last thing she saw was Nick's astonished face at Dani's appearance as they drove away, Dani waving goodbye to him from the passenger seat.

That was the very last time she ever saw Nick Polmero because the next day she found out that he had died in a drug bust gone bad.

Michael was sad to hear the news but Dani was even more sad. He was so young, had his whole life ahead of him, and to die like that was just cruel. She still remembered his vivid green eyes, his wavy blonde hair, his Irish Spring ocean scent. How could he know the horrors that awaited him just the next day? Her first night in the city and a person she meets ends up dead. Granted she didn't really know him and he was a police officer but still she was sorrowful. Michael told her those were the hazards of being a cop, he knew what he signed up for, but Dani still felt saddened by his passing. Michael was right. Being a cop was not as glamourous as she realized. Of course she knew of the danger but she never fully realized it until that moment when she saw Nick's face on T.V. as the reporters announced his passing. And Dani had a horrifying, terrible thought that it could have easily been Michael in his place. Suddenly she wished Michael had kept his job as a stockbroker in the World Trade instead of becoming an officer. At least then he would be safe.

A few seconds later, Dani then quickly dismissed that thought from her mind.

Michael would be safe but he would never be happy. He was never happy working at the World Trade. He was miserable. He was well payed but miserable. At least that's what Michael told her when Dani asked him why he quit. Now that he was a police officer, living his dream, he was so much happier than he ever was as a stockbroker. 

Better to live briefly but happy than to live a long miserable life, Michael always told her. But Dani prayed, hoped, and wished Michael would have a happy long police officer life and would retire with his soon to be wife in Hawaii, like they always dreamed.

And now Dani was at Nick's funeral to pay her respects, she got Alice to take her since Michael was working a shift, and about to step into his widow's room. The funeral was at the couple's house so Dani passed many pictures of the beautiful young raven haired, blue eyed woman that was Nick's wife. Dani was at the second floor of the house, which was pretty much deserted except for Dani, and about to knock on the Master Bedroom. Immediately after she did a hoarse voice told her to come inside. Dani gathered up her courage and opened the door.

"Mrs. Polmero?" She hesitantly said, stepping inside the room. She saw Nick's wife Alanna sitting on the bed downcast clutching a photograph in her hands, her long raven hair covering her face. "My name is Dani Fenton-"

"I know who you are." Alanna's chilling tone stopped Dani cold. "Are you happy now? Are you happy that my mate is dead?"

Dani blinked at her in shock.

"What? I had nothing to do with-"

"YOU HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT!"

Her roar of absolute rage startled Dani and she jumped back in surprise. She saw Alanna look up at her with cold, murderous blue eyes and the lights started to madly flicker on and off, pictures and books started lifting off the shelves as if pulled by invisible strings, and a static something crackled in the air with a loud noise.

Dani was ready to go.

"Alright I'll be-" Dani said as she headed towards the door.

It slammed shut. As if an invisible hand closed it.

"I had a terrible feeling about the party." Alanna continued as Dani looked on horrified. "I should of never made him go. Especially if I knew you were going to be there." She briefly paused before softly finishing. "Sometimes I just wish I had the strength to stay away from him. Then he would of been safe, transferred to a precinct in the Guys in White's territory."

"Guys in White?" Dani croaked out as she slowly inched towards the door to make her escape. But her simple question seemed to drive Alanna into a fury.

"DON'T PRETEND AS IF YOU DON'T KNOW!" Alanna screamed at her as the crazed events started happening again, this time much more violently. "DON'T PRETEND AS IF THIS ENTIRE THING ISN'T YOUR FAULT!"

Dani was beyond frightened at the supernatural phenomenons that seemed to be happening but was still miraculously able to defend herself vocally.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" She cried out, finally reaching the door and turning the knob.

It was locked. Dani felt fear run up and down through every part of her body as she looked at Alanna's deranged demeanor. She looked ready to murder her. Dani clutched her pocket knife in her dress pocket for protection and got into a stance. She didn't want to fight Alanna but she would if she had to.

Suddenly the lights stopped flickering, the books and pictures fell to the floor, and the static something in the air was silent.

Dani saw Alanna look at her for a long while, as if deciphering whether she was really being truthful or not, before finally saying

"Perhaps so. Perhaps not. I cannot tell. What are you Dani Fenton? You are not human, that's for certain. No human looks that beautiful and sounds that enchanting. You can't be a Magical Creature either. They are all affected by Mage Powers and yet you are not. So what are you?"

Dani's eyes narrowed in confusion. What on earth was this woman talking about?

"Mage Powers?"

"She'll kill you too you know." Alanna told her matter of factly, completely ignoring Dani's question, once again sadly looking down at the photograph in her hands. "You're protected now by the son but it's only a matter of time before Susan gets to you. She's done it with every other girl her son has been fond of."

Dani's heart started thumping like mad. Alanna couldn't have been talking about who she thought she was talking about!

"Susan...Baxter?" 

"Yes Susan Baxter." Dani let out a gasp of shock at Alanna's confirmation. Alanna continued, completely ignoring Dani's reaction."Of course it was her son who gave the order to have my husband killed as a penalty for hitting you." She choked out, tears streaming down her face. She wiped them away and continued. "But Susan is the one he gave the order to. Susan is the head of the Baxter family and in control of him." Dani saw a true fearful shudder out of Alanna. "She rules us all. And you Dani Fenton." Alanna said as she made direct eye contact with her. "You've stolen the apple of her affection and she will kill you in retaliation. I've seen her kill for less."

Alanna said it as if she was really telling the truth. And looking at her, Dani could see she believed she was really telling the truth! Dash and Susan were annoying but they weren't murderers! And they sure as hell weren't ultra powerful Mages who ruled the world! They were just rich (Not that rich because plenty of other people took that mark) stuck up narcissistic people who insisted on making Dani's life complicated but they weren't evil!

And who the hell were the Guys in White or this him person she was talking about!?

Oh well. It didn't matter. Dani told herself Alanna was insane and still grieving over her husband. Probably forgot to take her meds like a lot of family members she knew and was rambling on about something she believed to be true. Probably was a magician too or at least learned about it, that would explain all these smoke and mirrors. 

Finally after minutes of working it, the knob turned, and Dani ran out of there like a bat out of hell.

"Your days are numbered Dani Fenton." Dani heard Alanna voice say right as she booked. "Remember that."

Dani found Alice and lied to her that she didn't feel so well. They quickly said their goodbyes and left. 

Dani never told anyone, especially Michael and Alice, of what Alanna told her. She felt due to the circumstances it was best to keep it a secret.

A day later Dani found out that Alanna Polmero had died. A single gunshot wound to the head. The Police ruled it a suicide. 

They buried her beside her husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH AND FYI 9/11 NEVER HAPPENED...YET.


	9. Findings

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Secret Hiding Place. 4:55 a.m.

.

She felt something on her leg.

She screamed and jumped up, slamming her head against cold steel.

"Ouch!" She cried, rubbing the place where her head was hit. She saw stars for a moment but quickly gathered her bearings.

'Where…?' She thought for a brief moment, but before she could even finish that statement memories came rushing back to her.

The hiding place.

The phone call.

Vlad Masters.

The Baxters.

Dani had to block out the lingering nightmare the last memory caused her and tried to stay focused. She couldn't think about that right now, if she did she'd go crazy. She'd leave it for tomorrow. The terrible situation she was in with the Baxters was best left for tomorrow and she would think of something then. For now, she would concentrate on Vlad Masters and what she was going to do about him if Dash never showed. She glanced down at her watch to check the time.

4:55a.m.

Great. She had plenty of time before her mother, father, or brother woke up. The great thing about them was her mother and father could sleep through an earthquake if it was before six a.m. And her brother could sleep through anything, if you didn't personally wake him up that is.

She quickly assessed her surroundings. By the looks of things, she obviously never left her hiding spot. She clearly remembered falling asleep pondering how the hell she was going to get her family out of this situation if Vlad turned out to be the deranged psycho she thought he was.

'Oh well.' Dani mused with a sign. 'I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now I have to get back to the RV. Better not try my luck with the mood mom's been these past two days.'

Dani was about to get up to leave when she heard a small sound. Suddenly remembering why she woke up as abruptly as she did, she quickly pressed a button on her watch and flashed it to the corner where she heard the noise. The light streaming from her watch revealed something she didn't quite expect to see.

It was a kitten.

He was curled up in the corner. He was black as night with a cute button nose and fuzzy little ears. He was also shaking. Out of fright or the cold she didn't know, all she knew was he was the cutest thing she has ever seen. How come she didn't notice him last night? Probably because she was too busy worrying about everything else going wrong in her life.

"Awww come over here." She said while scooping the creature up with her hands. He fit there perfectly, attesting to how small he was, and Dani found herself absentmindedly petting his soft fur coat. He purred and cuddled up closer to her, grateful for the contact.

"I'm keeping you." She abruptly decided, putting the kitten in her coat pocket to keep him warm and safe. She knew her mother would have a fit but she didn't care. Somehow she would convince her to let her keep the kitten. There was no way she was going to let him freeze to death out here. And, Dani hated to admit it, but there was probably no chance of this kitten ever being adopted. The first, and obvious, reason being most people don't like black cats. They're considered bad luck though she didn't know where that superstition came from. She was living proof that black was beautiful. And the second reason was because of his eyes. Let's just say they weren't the most…normal looking color in the wheel.

"Vladimir." She softly whispered, looking down at her kitten. "I'm going to name you Vladimir." Somehow that name fit perfectly with him.

Suddenly light poured into her hiding spot. She glanced up and saw a man with bright hazel eyes, holding a trash can, staring down at her in disbelief. Dani quickly brought up her hood over her face, which had fallen off at some point when she was sleeping, and jumped out of her hiding spot. And then she ran like the wind.

"Wait! Come back!" She heard him call out but she was long gone. She ran past the alley, past a number of cars and trucks, and didn't stop until she was safely at the RV. Once she was there she finally stopped to catch her breath.

That was a close one.

After a few seconds had passed, Dani unlocked the door to the RV and quietly snuck back in bed. She hung her coat over the drivers seat but not before taking Vladimir out the pocket. When she slid in next to her mother, she cuddled Vladimir closer to her side. She tried to think of a way she could convince her mother to let her keep Vladimir. Her father would be easy to convince but her mother was deathly afraid of cats. She could fight a large, fearsome ghost in combat with no problem but a little kitten had her scampering up a tree.

Weird.

Dani must have been more tired than she realized because she found herself nodding off. That last thing that came into her mind before she dozed into a dreamless sleep was the shocked look on the Truck Stop worker's face when he saw her pop out of a dumpster.

.

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Fenton RV. 7:05 a.m.

.

"TIME TO WAKE UP FENTON FAMILY!"

Dani groaned and pulled the covers over her head. It was too early in the morning to even think about getting up.

"Dad it's not even daybreak!" She heard her brother loudly complain next to her. "At least wake us up when the sun hits the horizon!"

Dani wholeheartedly agreed.

Suddenly the RV door opened and a blast of freezing cold air hit Dani like a ton of bricks. Before she could even protest, the covers were snatched off of her and her brother.

"The both of you get up right now!" Her mother firmly ordered. "I told you to be ready by the time I came back! You both have to take a shower before we head over to Vlad's!"

"But mom-" They both started but her mother held up her hand in warning.

"I don't want to hear it!" She replied, while grabbing the bag of toiletries by the door. "I gave you guys one extra hour of sleep and that's it! Now get up!"

"Come on guys!" Her father urged, stepping over to his wife and wrapping his large arm around her shoulder. "The sooner we take a shower, the sooner we can go to IHOP!"

As soon as her father said IHOP, Jake and Dani perked up.

"We're going to IHOP?" Dani asked, not able to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Seriously?"

"The real IHOP?" Jake asked skeptically, raising a raven brow in question. "Not a hole in the wall like the last time?"

Dani shuddered. Yesterday's 'pancake' stop with the dead parrot glued to a schizophrenic old man's shoulders and the crazy-eyed tattooed biker on 'America's Most Wanted' was best left buried under a mountain of memories, never to be dug up again.

"Yes the real IHOP Jacob. Right Jack?" Her mother answered, while sending her father a glare. Her father let out a nervous chuckle.

"Of course darling." He quickly replied. "Of course."

Just then Vladimir decided to make a personal appearance. He poked his head out of Dani's hands. Quickly she tried to hide him before her mom-

"DANIELLE FENTON IS THAT A CAT!?"

Shit. But maybe she could hide his eyes before her dad-

"GHOST!"

Damn. Her dad had spotted Vladimir's red eyes.

.

.

Cue theme song

(She's a phantom) (Dani Phantom, Dani Phantom, Dani phantom)

Yo, Dani Fenton, she was just 16, When her parents built a very strange machine, It was designed to view, a world unseen.

(She's gonna catch em all 'cause she's Dani Phantom.)

When it didn't quite work, her folks, they just quit, But then Dani took a look inside of it, There was a great big flash, everything just changed, Her molecules got all rearranged!

(Phantom, Phantom)

When she first woke up, she realized, She had snow white hair, and glowin' blue eyes. She could walk through walls, disappear, and fly, She was much more unique than the other guys. And it was then that she knew what she had to do, She had to stop all the ghosts that were comin' through, She's here to fight, for me and you! She's-

Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's Dani Phantom, Gonna catch 'em all, 'cause she's (Dani Phantom.)

.

.

Friday. September 23rd, 2004. YMCA. 7:30 a.m.

.

After convincing her father that Vladimir wasn't a ghost and spending twenty more minutes convincing her mother to let her keep Vladimir (She promised to go out on a date with Dash-Her mother thought she got one on her but really it was the other way around), they headed to the YMCA showers. They really weren't even suppose to be there, the YMCA wasn't suppose to open for another 30 minutes, but her mother had flashed her beautiful Elizabeth Taylor eyes to the owner and got him to let them in early.

And people accused Dani of being a wily temptress.

When Dani and her mother arrived in the women's showers, her mother saw she forgot her favorite hairbrush back in the RV.

"I'll be right back. Five minutes tops." She promised. "Your father and brother are next door. Scream if anything."

And then she left.

Dani rolled her eyes. Her mother treated her as if she didn't have a black belt in martial arts! Besides even if she didn't have a black belt, she would never call her father or brother to help her win a fight. Her brother Jake couldn't even fight. He would try the psycho babble and if that didn't work he screamed like a little girl. All brains and no brawn. With her father it was the exact opposite. He was strong, yes, but very clumsy and easily outwitted.

The only thing she would call them for was if she needed a distraction. And speaking of distractions…

Dani quickly shed her coat, the rest of her clothes, put on a black towel, grabbed the Fenton Thermos she had managed to sneak on her, and headed to the Women's Bathroom. She didn't know how much time she had before her mother (Or anyone else for that matter) interrupted her.

She had a hunch about those vultures.

.

"What? Where am I?"

Dani looked at the confused looking vulture hovering in the air. She had just released him from the Thermos and she was waiting for him to make eye contact with her. Sure enough he glanced over and saw Dani leaning against the wall, fake sobbing with her hands in front of her face. She saw his eyes bulge out and his mouth drop. She could understand that. She was wearing just a towel.

"Darling, sweetheart." He soothed, flying down over to her. "What's the matter?"

Dani smirked. He was playing right into her hands.

"Oh it's terrible." She fake cried, removing her hands for a brief moment from her face so he could see her big, bright eyes. "I'm suppose to be going to my mother's friend's castle but I've forgotten his name. I just can't remember his name!"

The vulture stared at her in awe for a few more seconds until Dani fake sobbed even louder.

"Don't cry sweetheart." He said, placing a wing on her shoulders in comfort. "You're way too beautiful to cry. I'll help you remember his name."

"You will?" She softly asked, staring up at him with those big, black eyes. He gulped and stuttered out his reply.

"Of-of co-course I will."

"But how could you know him?" Dani signed dramatically. "Do you even know anyone who lives in a castle?"

Here it was. The moment of truth. The reason why Dani was standing the the women's bathroom with just a towel on.

"Hey I know a guy that lives in a castle! He lives over in Wisconsin!" The vulture answered excitedly. "I was sent by him on a mission!"

"Really?" She eagerly asked, desperate for more information.

"Yeah his name was Vlad-" But before the vulture could even finish his statement, Dani heard her mother's loud voice outside.

"DANIELLE FENTON, WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"What-?" Was all the vulture managed to say when Dani stole his red cap and glasses. She then immediately sucked him back into the Thermos she had hidden behind her back and then slammed the lid down before he even knew what was going on. She managed to hide his cap and glasses in her breasts (Thank God she had such a large bust) before her mother burst through the bathroom door and bombarded her with questions.

"Danielle Fenton, why didn't you answer me!? And what are you doing with that!? That's not a toy!"

Her mother snatched the Fenton Thermos out of her hands.

"Come on." Her mother urged, grabbing Dani by the hands and leading her out of the bathroom. "We only have 15 minutes to take a shower and get dressed before this place opens to the public."

Dani didn't say one word to her mother throughout the whole ordeal. She wasn't even thinking about her. All she could think about was what the vulture had said, the suspicions he had confirmed.

Vlad Masters had ordered a hit on her father.


	10. The Siren

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Wisconsin. 5:58 p.m.

.

Walker stared wearily at the night sky from beyond the treetops. As much as he detested the human world, he had to confess that this was something that always awed him. The billions and billions of twinkling stars calmed him for some strange reason in a way the Ghost Zone never could and, because of that, he always found time out in his day to watch them. And he needed a little peace and tranquility with the day he had.

Sixteen high security arrests made today! Sixteen! And one in dragon county! Arresting the perpetrator wasn't nearly as difficult as the damn politics that came along with it.

Damn it, why didn't ghosts understand that rules were rules?! Without them the Ghost Zone would descend into chaos and anarchy! And it was his job to make sure that didn't happen, even if the perpetrator that had to be arrested was royalty!

Walker absolutely loathed Aragon. He always thought he could get away with breaking the law because he was a Prince. He felt he was above such things but nobody is above the rules, not even the Warden himself.

Rules were rules.

Well at least today Walker got some satisfaction in finally setting the dragon prince straight. Let's see how much he enjoys striped clothes and being in a chain gang for the next week. Then perhaps that will teach him to keep his hands to himself and to never strike a female ever again.

Especially his own sister. In front of the Warden's own men no less!

He was still trying to sooth the migraine he had gotten from those accursed dragons while trying to figure out if he would have to make a special cell to hold the dragon convict, when he heard the most bewitching sound coming from inside the treetops.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o'er the plains

And the mountains in reply

Echoing their joyous strains

(Hallelujah, Hallelujah)

Walker listened to the enchanting voice in stunned silence. In all his years, on Earth or in the Ghost Zone, he had never heard a voice so dazzling, so mythical, so powerful. It blew him away! The melody was so beautiful, Walker couldn't find any words fitting to describe it's magnificence. Even the trees seemed like they were swaying in the sweet sounds this creature made. His headache forgotten, Walker quickly flew down to see who was the siren who's voice caused this disturbance in him.

Suddenly he spotted her.

A human.

She was wearing a huge red coat and leaning against a tree, with her back against him, watching the stars like he was just a few moments ago. He tried to make out her face but he couldn't, a long hood prevented him from doing so. As a matter of fact he couldn't made out anything about her. Even the sleeves she wore were too long and prevented him from seeing her hands. But it didn't matter what she looked like.

She was human.

He could do or say nothing. He wasn't even suppose to be near her.

It was against the rules.

But he couldn't find it in himself to leave. He was too entranced by her song.

What was wrong with him? He hated humans. They were vicious, primitive, ghost murdering creatures. He had seen with his own eyes multiple times how cold hearted and monstrous they could be.

So why did this one feel so different? Why did her voice take him places that reminded him of happier times before he had any responsibilities as the Ghost Warden in a way that no other could? Why did this one make him feel like her voice was the sole exception to the rules?

Suddenly an extremely loud voice interrupted his musings.

"DANIELLE FENTON WHERE ARE YOU?! WE'RE LEAVING WITHOUT YOU!" 

Walker watched as the human let out a long sign and then ran into the dark forest where the voice came from, vanishing beneath the trees. Walker had the strongest urge to follow her but that urge was quickly destroyed by his ear phone suddenly coming alive.

"Sir, there's an issue at the prison! We need you to come quick!" A prison guard desperately said from the other line and Walker could hear signs of a riot in the background.

He groaned. It was probably Aragon. Couldn't he have one hour for himself without all hell breaking loose!? Was that too much to ask!?

"I'll be right there." He snapped back, cutting off the connection.

Walker took one last longing glance at the forest the human disappeared into and then vanished completely.


	11. Bitter Reunions

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Vlad's Castle. 8:00p.m.

.

"VLADDY MY MAN! WE'RE HERE!"

"Jack stop shouting! He can't possibly hear you from out here!"

Dani signed. She and her family had been traveling for nearly half a day, passed God knows how many farms and lakes, and finally had arrived at Vlad's castle at well past sunset.

Well almost.

"Who the heck is guarding these gates anyway?" Dani asked while eying the huge, sinister looking barriers that blocked their entrance. She and her family were currently outside, looking for someone to get them inside, but the problem was there wasn't anybody there.

No one.

"Well maybe there's a intercom somewhere here that could help us get inside." Her mother suggested. Her family looked around for something, anything, that could help them get inside. But the problem was there wasn't anything there.

Nothing at all.

As Dani checked the gates that looked like they guarded hell itself, she started to get a little creeped out by their surroundings. It was cold and dark, they were hundreds of miles from any form of civilization at all, surrounded by a lot of dead looking trees, and there was an ominous fog in the air. Not to mention the wind was blowing so fierce it made an eerie howl that chilled Dani to her bones.

This had all the makings of a horror movie.

Suddenly her brother voiced the very thing that was on everyone's mind.

"This place is creepy."

"Yes!" Dani said and turned to face her family in a desperate attempt to get the hell out of there. "We should leave! He's probably not even-" Suddenly Dani heard a very loud creaking noise behind her. She didn't have to turn back around to know what just happened, but she did anyway.

The gates were wide open.

"Here." She finished, still staring in complete horror at the open Gothic gates in front of them. This was definitely how horror movies began! Unsuspecting people, dark, foggy woods, magical opening and closing gates, staying at place they've never stayed before that turns out to be a big mistake. Wasn't this exactly how The Haunting started!?

"HAHA! I told you my pal Vladdy didn't forget about us!" Her dad ecstatically said, while racing back to the RV. Her brother quickly followed, leaving Dani and her mother standing in front of the open gates. She felt her mother's hand clench her shoulder.

"Dani are you O.K.? You seemed pretty distant today, especially during breakfast."

Of course she was quiet at breakfast, she just found out that her father's old college friend had ordered a hit on him! Not even IHOP could cheer her up (Even though it was Christmas karaoke month). She ate and sang a duet with her father (Because he insisted) mechanically, ignoring all the lustful stares around her from other patrons.

Dani turned to face her mother, thinking of a reply to say to her. But what could she say? Her old college friend had it out for her husband and hired three idiot ghost vultures to kill him? No it was best to continue to lie to her, lie like she's been doing for three years now, and just deal with this thing herself like she always did.

"Yeah mom." She responded as genuinely as she could. "Just a little worn out from the long drive."

Her mom bought it. All the tension and worry left her face and she gave Dani a huge smile.

Honk! Honk!

"Come on you two Vladdy's waiting for us!"

Dani rolled her eyes at her father's enthusiasm and turned with her mother to leave, never noticing the pair of glowing red eyes staring at her from beyond the treetops.

.

If Dani thought the castle looked big just by seeing part of it through the gate, it was nothing compared to it up close. As soon as Dani got out the RV she came face to face with a gigantic ivory castle so huge she had to crane her neck just to see the rest of it and she was well over a hundred feet away! It was beautiful. It had round glass windows and beautiful balconies overlooking the grounds. It was also decorated with gorgeous lights for Christmas. And the castle wasn't the only thing that was decorated! There were beautiful pine trees lined up with very beautiful lights and pretty silver bells, there was a very large fountain that had angel blowing her trumpet which water came out of, large candy canes lined up along the pavement. So many pretty decorations, all looked so elegant and so very expensive, way too many to name them all, although her mother tried.

"See there Dani," Her mother excitedly said while pulling her arm to grab her attention. "The Nativity Scene! Oh and look over there it's The Nutcracker! Oh and look it's Santa Claus and his reindeer! Oh and Mrs. Claus too!"

"I see them mom." Dani tried to say as enthusiastically as she could. All she could think about was what Paulina and the Vulture said. Vlad was not to be trusted. Ever. No matter how many pretty things he had.

"Vladdy must really be doing good for himself." Her father said in awe. He, too, was transfixed by the beautiful scenery.

"'Good for himself?,'" Her brother scoffed. "He's the richest man on the planet! He makes the Baxters look like welfare cases!"

"Jake!" Her mother scolded. Dani started to laugh but stopped when she saw her mother's eyes narrow on hers.

"What?" Jake unapologetically said. "It's true!"

"Just because it's true doesn't mean it's right to say." Her mother replied with her arms crossed. "I thought I had raised you better than that young man."

They were almost to the castle. Dani decided to take this opportunity to clear up a few questions of her own.

"How many people are staying over for this reunion anyway?" She asked, trying to appear innocent enough.

"Just us princess!" Her dad eagerly responded, still drumming with excitement at the thought of meeting his old college friend. Dani signed.

This was not good.

They were completely alone here, nearly a half day away from any police precinct, with a guy who had more money than God, might have killed three people (Well that she knew about so far), and wanted very much to kill her father. Possibly her entire family. Not to mention that the black high heels her mother forced her to change into just before she left the RV were killing her. But she'd rather that'd be the only thing that was killing her instead of the billionaire psycho they were about to meet.

"But maybe," Dani thought as her family came to the Castle's entrance. "He can be reasoned with. I mean, after all, the thing with Dad happened over twenty years ago and they used to be best friends! Perhaps if they all sat down and talked together they could sort this whole thing out. Like in 'The Godfather'!"

Suddenly images from the movies came to her. Terrible images. She saw Vito's family get assassinated and him returning from America after twenty two years for payback for his family's murder.

'My father's name was Antonio Andolini and this is for you!'

She saw Michael Corleone standing at a baptism (A freakin' baptism!) while assassinations, ordered by him, were going on and killing his own godchild's father afterword for vengeance for his brother, who was killed years ago!

'You have to answer for Santino Carlos.'

As they walked up the steps and came upon the vast doors, Dani had to stop herself from hyperventilating. She calmly breathed in and out, hoping and praying her family didn't see her distress. Were they about to walk to their deaths? Was Vlad going to go all Tony Montana on them!?

'Say hello to my little friend!'

Dani really had to cut down on her gangster movies. It wasn't good for her nerves. She gripped her father and mother's arms tight. Her mother smiled down on her, not noticing her fear at all. But when had she ever? Though in her defense, she was wearing her hood on. With her hood on, no one could see her face but she could see them. The coat was one of the few things she loved that Dash had given to her. With it on, she could see and hear people's true thoughts and intentions, without them being distracted by her unnatural beauty.

"Vladdy my man!" Her dad excitedly shouted while knocking on the huge double doors. "We're here!"

Almost immediately afterword the doors swung open. Dani looked up to see a tall, middle aged man with midnight blue eyes and grey hair pulled into a ponytail. He had a black suit on that looked very, very expensive with a pair of black most likely equally expensive shoes.

Dani quickly stared at the ground, her hood completely shielding her face from him. She didn't want to risk even the slightest chance of him seeing her. But that was alright, she didn't need to look at him any longer. She already saw the cold, calculating look in his eyes and she knew already Vlad Masters was up to no good. What she didn't know though was if he had it in for anyone else other than her father. And that was what she wanted to find out.

"Jack." He heard him drawl out. "And Maddie!" His tone brightened. "You've never looked lovelier my dear. Please, please come in."

Dani felt an arm around her and she was quickly ushered inside.

"Vladdy my man! It's good to see-"

SLAM!

"Hello? Hellooo?"

'Oh no he didn't…!' Dani furiously thought as she heard her father's muffled voice through the shut door. Vlad Masters had slammed the door on her father's face! The audacity of that man! She knew he hated her father but really he could at least be more tactful about it! Though she supposed when you hire three idiot ghost vultures to take down a ghost hunter and then tell them you're real name and address, you don't give a damn about tact.

Dani turned and went to open the door to let her father in. As she walked over there, she listened in on the conversation her mother and brother were having with Vlad.

"Still a Packers fanatic I see?" Her mother's amused voice.

Oh God, another psychotic rich football fan. Wasn't one enough?

"Oh Maddie fanatic is such a negative term! But yes." Vlad's smooth reply.

"I don't understand, you have billions of dollars! Instead of buying this stuff, why don't you just buy the team?" Her brother's confused tone.

Dani scoffed. Probably because the City of Green Bay would never sell the Packers to anybody (Except the Baxters, of course, but Dash didn't really like the Packers) and Vlad would have a hard time wiping an entire city off the map!

"Because the Packers are owned by the city of Green Bay and they won't sell them to me!" Vlad's irritated answer.

You see. Dani noted it was good to know that even the richest man alive (At least on paper) didn't dare take out entire cities without fear of repercussions.

"One of two things my wealth has not as of yet," His tone turned sensual. "Been able to acquire."

Oh God was he hitting on her mother or Jake? Dani didn't know and frankly was a little scared to find out. She finally reached the door and opened it. The sound of the door hinges creaking (He should really get that fixed) drowned out any other part of the conversation they were having.

"Thanks princess!" Her father said as he made his way inside. But before she could say 'You're welcome' he shouted

"HEADS UP, V-MAN!"

And ran and tackled Vlad Masters, who was holding a football, to the ground. Dani looked back down when she saw his angry eyes flash near hers. She stared down at the green and gold carpet but listened closely to rest of the conversation.

"Ha I still see you've got the old moves!" He dad happily said.

"Give me that!" She heard him furiously demand.

"I never had any 'old moves'!" And Dani could hear the loathing, the absolute rage in his voice. "All those years in the hospital robbed me of that!"

Silence followed that statement and Dani could just imagine her mother and brother looking on in shock. But she wasn't shocked. The only thing she was shocked about was that Vlad Masters wasn't being more subtle of his hatred for her father. He was nothing at all like Susan or Dash. But maybe now her family would believe her when she said Vlad Masters was a crazy, evil, bitter old man who wanted her father dead. She knew now more than ever that Vlad Masters could not be reasoned with.

"Yes...Well, it gave me time to chart out a course for my life, didn't it? Make some decisions that helped to make me very wealthy, very quickly. And it never would've happened without you, Jack."

Vlad spoke so sinisterly that Dani had chills running up and down her spine. And apparently, her mother felt the same way.

"Uh yeah…maybe we should go."

Before Dani could blurt out 'Yes!', Vlad immediately intervened.

"No-no, you should stay with me! That's the whole reason I'm throwing the reunion here in my castle. Previously home to the legendary Wisconsin Dairy King. Just so I could, reconnect, with you, Jack. I insist you stay."

His smooth voice still had a deathly tone to it, and Dani couldn't have been the only one to recognize it. But knowing her family, it was probably so.

"Well, I dunno. We do have a really cool RV." Her father voiced.

Cramped RV or psycho middle aged man's castle? Decisions, Decisions. Dani was about to say they should leave far, far away but Jake decided to interrupt with a fake sneeze.

"Let'sstayhere!" He said.

'Smooth.' Dani sarcastically thought. Just then Vlad said the one thing that would persuade her father to choose the castle over the RV.

He brought up ghosts.

"You know, Jack, the Dairy King's ghost could haunt these very halls…"

"I'll get the bags!" Her father shouted ecstatically.

'NO! NO!' Dani wanted to say. 'He's crazy and he wants to kill you!' But she knew no one would believe her. She felt her dad run past her and the door slam in his wake. For such a large man, her dad could be pretty fast when he wanted to be.

"Dani what are you still doing with that coat on?"

Dani's mother's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned and saw her mother standing right next to her when she thought she was suppose to be standing with Vlad.

'When…?' Was all she managed to think of before her mother quickly unzipped it and snatched the coat off of her. She heard Vladimir protest from inside her pocket and quickly got him out. He snuggled closer to her arms.

Dani took a deep breath. She could do this. It was the one thing, the one plan she came up with that didn't involve her ghost half, that would definitely make her father leave although she would break his heart in doing it.

But better a broken heart than a dead one.

"Hello Mr. Masters. I don't believe we've met." Dani seductively said, turning toward him and sashaying her way over. As Dani made her way towards Vlad, she flipped her hair back so it wasn't covering her ample bust. She saw his shocked, awestruck face and smiled to herself. She still had it. She was suddenly glad her mother made her change into that black halter dress back at the RV (Her mother believed very firmly in first impressions), it made so much more of an impact! Not to mention the beautiful diamond drop earrings her mother also forced her to wear shone brilliantly in each and every direction. (Although they weighed a ton and felt like they were going to rip her earlobes off!) She could see Vlad's eyes roam all over her body (Most noticeably her bust) and she had to stop herself from laughing out loud. He looked like a child on Christmas day, staring in wonder at all the presents he had received from Santa Claus.

'This is going to be too easy.' Dani thought as she stared at Vlad's awestruck expression. 'I'll have us gone before the hour's out.'

She stopped a foot away from him, and raised her beautiful, bright black eyes and caught eye contact with him. He never looked away, disbelief, lust, and desire clouding his stare.

She held out her hand to greet him and spoke as seductive as she could.

"My name is Danielle. Danielle Fenton."


	12. Porcelain Doll

A porcelain doll.

That was what he thought the first time he saw her. She was a living, breathing porcelain doll. Absolutely perfect in every way possible, Snow White herself come to life. Black hair as dark as night, lips as red as the rose, and flawless porcelain skin that seemed to have an unearthly glow to it. She had a body that would put Aphrodite herself to shame and her big beautiful black doe like eyes ensnared anyone, be it male or female, Magical Realm, Human World, or The Ghost Zone, that was fortunate enough to garner her attention. And, oh God, her voice! Her voice that bewitched and enchanted all who heard, her voice that made him believe for one time in all his wrenched, miserable existence that there was a God for no creature could sound that magnificent without divine intervention. Danielle could turn the most calm, well ordered, collected person completely deranged with desire. He'd seen it many, many times before especially with his old Master's son. He didn't know a being alive (Or dead for that matter) that could resist the siren call that was Danielle Fenton.

And apparently that extended to half-ghost mages too.

.

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Private Study. 8:14p.m.

.

He appeared in the room in a swirl of red light. What lay before him was complete and utter destruction. Glasses and their contents were smashed up against the walls, furniture was overturned, the Persian rug was burned to a crisp, books were torn, ripped and flung in each and every direction.

And those were just the things that were salvageable.

He glared at his Master who was currently hunched over against the wall, his hands burning ectoplasmic holes in it. He knew all that talk of Madeline Fenton being his one true love was bullshit. He knew the moment he saw Danielle he would forget the violet eyed woman and move on to his porcelain doll. Damn that lying son of a bit-

"Who is she?"

The whispered statement drew him out of his angry thoughts.

"She?" He curtly replied, checking his staff in a show of nonchalance. "I'm afraid I don't now who you're referring to Master."

His answer got just the reaction he expected. His Master turned in fury, grabbed his collar, and painfully slammed him up against wall. His Master's feral red eyes were trained on him and he roared.

"WHO-IS-SHE!? WHAT CREATURE IS SHE!? IS SHE A SIREN!? A SUCCUBUS!? A VAMPIRE!?" 

"I'm afraid Master," He spat, glaring down at the red eyes of his Master. "I don't know whom you're referring to."

The stare down lasted only a few moments. All too soon he was released and his Master turned away from him, seemingly trying to compose himself. In a calmer voice he told him.

"I command you to tell me everything you know about Danielle Fenton."

Damn. A direct order. His collar burned and his mouth forcefully opened and he began talking. In defiance he told his Master Danielle Fenton's favorite shows, her favorite toothbrush, her favorite band, her level in martial arts,-

He saw his Masters body tense in annoyance and another direct order was given to him, this time much more specific.

"I command you to tell me everything important you know about Danielle Fenton."

The collar burned and he opened his mouth and told him that she wasn't any kind of magical creature but was unaffected by Mage Powers, even his. He saw his Master turn and his midnight blue eyes widen in shock. But before his Master could question him, he told him something that he'd regret for the rest of his life. But he had no choice.

"She can what?" His Master whispered in shock. But he stood silent. His Master's eyes narrowed. "I command you to repeat that statement!" His Master harshly ordered him.

His teeth gritted as he was forced to repeat the dreaded statement again.

"She can bear your children."

His Master stood stunned and he didn't blame him. If he had believed for over twenty years that his chances of having children were ruined, he'd too find it hard to believe if someone just told him out of the blue one woman held the key.

"Show me." His Master asked, desperation seeping into his voice.

He stood silent glaring at him and did nothing. His Master realized his folly and shouted at him

"I COMMAND YOU TO SHOW ME!"

His collar burned and he was forced to wave his staff over his Master's laptop, which was a few feet away from him surprisingly undamaged. He gestured his Master to take a look at it. When his Master did, he saw a number of emotions swim through his face. But the ones he read the most were hope and joy. He turned away from him in shame, his heart plummeting.

He just damned Danielle in the worst way possible to a man that was a million times more smart and powerful than Dash or Susan Baxter could have ever dreamed to be. Danielle didn't stand a chance in hell against him. But at least he showed the medical documents before she got her ghost powers.

"I command you to tell me if any of this is false." He heard his Master's hoarse voice called out.

His collar burned again and he was forced to answer him.

"It's all true Master."

It was silent for a few moments. Then his collar burned when another direct order was given to him.

"I command you to look at me."

His collar burned and he turned around. He glared into the eyes of his Master, which was now filled with dark victory. There was a sinister smile edged upon his Master's face and his hands were clasped together. He seemed to snap back into the being he was before he met Danielle and not the wreck he saw when he first came in.

"I command you to tell me anything and everything I can do to get back into Danielle Fenton's good graces."

His collar burned once again at his direct order and he was forced to betray Danielle to a man who made his former Master believe he wasn't that much of a threat, then proceeded to slaughter her and half the Baxter family without so much as breaking a sweat. And he managed to keep the whole thing quiet from the mermaids, which is quite unheard of.

Danielle was doomed. His heart hurt just thinking about it.

He felt a sudden surge of determination wash over him. He had to do something. He couldn't let Danielle go down like this.

"What about Madeline Master?" He asked him when he saw him preparing to leave. "The purple eyed beauty-"

His Master simply waved him off and told him.

"Her beauty is nothing compared to that of her daughter's."

"But, Master," He tried once again, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. "I thought she was your one true love. Isn't this what you been planning for all these years? Revenge against Jack Fenton for stealing away the love of your life, Madeline?"

His Master stopped. His hopes soared. Had his words really worked? He saw his Master calmly walk over to a picture of Madeline on the bookshelf that had remained standing and grabbed it in contemplation. His hopes were dashed however when his Master removed the picture from it's cover and burned it to ashes.

"I was wrong." His Master cooly said as the picture smoldered in his hand. "Maddie is nothing to me now. Nothing at all. What I once felt for her is gone. She is not my true soulmate. Her daughter is. I felt it the moment I touched her hand. My life-force matched perfectly with hers."

His breath hitched. Unfortunately for him his Master noticed and glared at him in suspicion.

"How can you be so sure Master?" He asked before his Master could order anything else of him, his red eyes boring holes into his Master's indigo ones.

"All ghosts have a soulmate." His Master responded holding his glare. "Apparently even half ghosts like me. Our life forces connect and there is no one else but each other. You of all people should know this seeing as many ghosts as you've been through."

"Then I wonder, Master, why did Danielle try to snatch her arm away?" He challenged, ignoring the jab at him. "Why didn't she feel what you felt?"

Here his Master faltered. He saw him look away and glance outside the window where snow was softly falling.

"I don't know." His Master finally whispered, his tone broken and distraught.

He tried to reason with his Master once more.

"Master, Danielle-"

But a roar so loud and fierce cut off what he was about to say.

"DON'T CALL HER DANIELLE!" His Master's eyes were bright red and a wave of pure malevolent energy washed over the entire room. "I COMMAND YOU NEVER TO CALL HER DANIELLE!" 

His collar burned and he stood silent. Eventually his Master calmed down, his eyes turned back blue, and he told him with gritted teeth.

"Daniel was a name I had chosen if I ever had a son, a name I so foolishly shared with Jack in my college days." He paused, glancing out the window once more. "Call her Snow." He softly finished.

"Very well Master." He complied, his fists inconspicuously clenching in anger. "You know, my old Master's son tried to keep Snow by threatening her family. And she hated and resented him for it. She went out with him, of course she was forced to, but she never truly smiled, she never laughed, she never had anything to say to him. She was like a zombie." He shuttered at the mere memory of her dull, empty eyes. "This went on for almost a year. It drove him insane. Why be like him Master? You have the upper hand here. Wouldn't you rather have a willing bride who smiles for you, laughs for you, and willingly bears your children?" He felt his heart break with those words but he forced himself to continue. He needed to buy Danielle time. "All you have to do is wait a couple of more years-"

"No."

His Master's curt, firm reply cut him off.

"What Master?"

"I said no." His Master repeated back to him, smoothing out some wrinkles on his suit. "Dashiell Baxter was a fool. He waited too long to take Snow as his and now look what happened. Now I have her and I'm never letting her go. She is my soulmate, my other half, she will love me. She has to. Besides," He added saucily, his blue eyes flashing with lust and desire. "After our first night in bed, she won't have the slightest desire to be with anyone else but me."

For a moment he saw Dash. He saw his Master's eyes turn ice blue and his grey hair turn golden blonde. The words that Dash had said to him just one month ago echoed through his mind.

'After one night with me she'll be begging me not to leave.'

'He's just like Dash.' He seethed. 'The only difference between them is age.'

"And if she doesn't Master?" He challenged once again, his red eyes narrowing at him, mentally shaking Dash's voice and face from his mind. "If she fights you like she fought Dash? After all she's only seventeen-"

"Which is a year above the age of consent in Minnesota, if I am not mistaken." His Master cooly interrupted. "And as I won't be fertile until Beltane and Snow's pregnancy is half that of a regular human's, Daniel won't be born until mid September. Only a month and a half shy of her eighteenth birthday, she's old enough. And I am not a foolish, arrogant, teenaged boy like young Dashiell and you would do well to remember that. Have you forgotten so quickly how I became your new Master?"

No he hadn't forgotten. How could he forget? His late Master's screams still ran through his mind and so did so many others. Vlad Masters was not a man to be trifled with, he had known that even before he ever became his Master. But never in a million years would be believe what he knows now. He wouldn't even have known it to be a possibility but yet it's true. Vlad managed to keep it a secret from all the Magical community, not one single person knew about it, and Susan Baxter's folly was not trying to destroy Vlad when she had the chance years ago and instead going with a 'peace agreement.' Which only lasted until Susan figured out a way to kill Vlad, which she was planning to do with Danielle's children. When Vlad Masters showed he resisted his powers and had ghost powers, Susan deemed Vlad too strong. And she wasn't afraid Vlad would kill him, just wound him enough to leave her open to her many, many enemies she had on the outside and inside. And on that tenth anniversary of that 'peace agreement', when he saw Vlad mercilessly kill all those Baxters without even breaking a sweat, there was no doubt in his mind that Vlad was the most powerful being on earth.

Well next to him of course.

"I know how to play my part." His master continued very arrogantly. "I know how to watch and wait. By this year's end Snow will be Mrs. Vlad Masters, our beautiful son Daniel will be forming in her womb, and Jack Fenton will be dead by my hand. And Snow will never be able to blame Vlad Masters for any of it."

His Master's eyes flashed red with a knowing smirk. He glared back at him. If only his Master knew who Danielle really was. But he supposed that'd make the situation way worse. Still he had faith in Danielle. She was extremely smart and made her way out of tough, terrifying situations before. If anyone could figure out who Vlad really was and defeat him, it was her. Although she wasn't stronger than Vlad or smarter than Vlad, she did have one thing in her favor. Vlad didn't see her as a threat. He didn't know who she was and he was underestimating her. He didn't even want to look at a picture of her before she arrived at the castle or look up some documents on her as she was so insignificant in his mind.

(Also because of the fact he was angry and jealous that 'His Madeline' had kids with that oaf and he refused to look at even a single picture of either one of them)

And that would be his Master's downfall. Danielle wasn't afraid to set it the fuck off, even if she doomed herself in the process. Hell he knew for a fact that she'd rather be dead than someone's baby making machine. Vlad was going to have one hell of a shock and fight on his hands.

"Oh is that the time? Dinner starts in fifteen minutes."

His Master's words drew him out of his thoughts. He saw him start to head out the door but suddenly he stopped mid halt. His Master turned towards him and said

"Oh and one more thing."

He saw his Master's eyes quickly flash red before his collar send shockwaves of pain all over his body. He dropped his staff unconsciously and felt a hand close around his throat, slamming him against the wall so hard it left a crack in it. His vision was spinning as he looked down at his Master.

"Forget about Snow." His Master harshly told him, his blue eyes flashing red in rage. "Whatever I choose to do to her is none of your concern. She is mine." Possessiveness oozed from his tone. "She will never be yours. Remember your place slave."

His Master dropped him like a sack of potatoes and he glared up at him from the floor, his red eyes burning with fury, pain still throbbing throughout his entire body. But at least the collar had stopped it's attack.

"Besides," His Master added with a cold smirk. "Do you honestly believe you even stand a chance with her after all she's seen you do?"

With that statement his Master turned and left the room, leaving him in mental tatters. All at once he heard her voice, her beautiful voice full of agony that echoed throughout his mind, refusing to go away.

'I'll give you anything! Anything you want! Just don't harm them!'

'No! Please! Have mercy! Not the children! Don't let him kill the children!'

'You monster! You murdering evil monster!'

'You'll rot in hell someday! I'll send you straight to hell someday!'

'Someday?' He scoffed, trying in vain to drown out her vengeful voice in his head. 'I'm already there.'

His Master was right. It was a lost cause. Even if he were miraculously free by tomorrow, it would still be of no use. Danielle Fenton would never love him after all he's done.

No matter how much he loved her.


	13. Falling

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. Large Guest Room. 8:25 p.m.

.

"Danielle, I did not like the way you were conducting yourself with Vlad."

Dani rolled her eyes. It took her mother two whole seconds since they walked in the large guest room to start yelling at her. That had to be some kind of record. Usually it just took one.

"It was nothing mom." She casually responded, cooing as she scratched Vladimir between his ears while he softly purred in response. He was so adorable!

"I am not kidding young lady!" Her mother ranted, incensed from Dani's indifferent attitude. "He's more than twice your age and you have no business-"

"Relax mom." She hastily replied before her mother really flipped the lid. "I was just getting back at him for slamming the door on Dad. I have absolutely no interest in Vlad Masters. Like you said he's way too old for me."

'And way too creepy.' She added mentally, still remembering when he refused to let go of her hand. One thing she could admit about Vlad Masters, besides him being a rich, crazed potential murderer, was that he had one hell of a grip. She damn near lost blood circulation when he refused to let go.

"Besides," She added with a smirk. "You were the one Vlad was hitting on. What did he say again mom? You were one out of two things his wealth has not yet acquired?"

Her mother had the grace to look abashed. Her cheeks tinted red and she looked away from Dani, a small smile on her face. Dani grinned. She knew her mother loved being hit on by other men even though she said otherwise. Oh she would never ever even dream about cheating on her father, of that Dani was a hundred percent sure. Not even with a multi-billionaire who lived in a castle. But while she would deny them, she would never deny their compliments to her. It's been that way since before she could remember. Dani just thought her mother craved the attention, loved the power her beauty had over the masses, and that it just made her feel younger. Especially now since she was over forty.

"Why are we getting dressed anyway? Aren't I dressed enough?" Dani inquired, trying to switch the conversation topic. She saw the two evening gowns her mother laid out in the bed and desperately hoped she didn't have to wear the ridiculously long green one.

"Oh Dani." She chided, handing her the dreaded green dress. "You know you can't wear a short halter dress to a formal dinner."

Dani took it miserably. God she hated long evening dresses.

"Now quickly put it on." She ordered, grabbing the other dress for herself. "I still have to fix your hair."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Dani asked, quickly slipping her gloves and clothes off and sliding the dress on.

As much as Dani hated to admit it, it was really beautiful. The emerald green fabric clung to her body loosely, but not too loosely, and the spaghetti straps held her breasts firmly but didn't bother her shoulder blades at all. Her breasts were not squashed together, like in the halter dress, but were allowed space to breathe. The only thing she didn't like about it was that it was a braless dress. There was no way she could hide her cell phone without her mother noticing it and catching a fit. Since the dress was so long, she would just have to hide it by strapping it to her leg just like she did with her blade.

"Oh Dani you always wear it down. This time I want to do a pretty French Twist." She responded, patting the space next to her, already in her black evening gown. Dani picked up Vladimir and sat down next to her mother. She saw her mother grimace but she didn't say anything.

As her mother did her hair, Dani played with Vladimir until she was finished.

"There sweetheart." Her mother said, temporarily taking Dani's attention away from Vladimir. "All done."

Dani left Vladimir on the bed and walked over to the large desk mirror and took a glance at her reflection. The French Twist looked really beautiful. It didn't look too severe and it wasn't too loose. It was just a pretty up do that her mom decorated with what looked like tiny diamonds that made her hair look even prettier. How she managed to even do something like that was a complete mystery to Dani. It was great for Dani to know that if ghost hunting didn't work out for her mother, she always had being a Beautician to fall back on.

"Oh I can't believe it! I swore I put it in here!" Her mother said as she clawed through her suitcase, flinging her items about. "Dani I'll be right back!"

Her mother left, most likely to go find her hairbrush that she's constantly misplacing. Dani took that opportunity to quickly strap her blade and cell phone to her legs. The moment she was done, she heard Vladimir let out a low whine and she could hear his stomach growl.

"Awww are you hungry Vladimir?" She cooed down at him as he stared up with pleading eyes. "Let's go get you some nice warm milk."

Dani picked up Vladimir and headed over to the kitchen. Vlad had previously told them where the kitchen and shown them to their rooms before he hastily had to excuse himself due to 'business.'

Whatever. The man could run but he couldn't hide. Eventually he would have to join them for dinner and then Dani would make her move. She already knew now he wouldn't resist her. She'd make sure her father would catch them in the act and then they would be headed home before nine.

But Dani had to make sure to do it exactly right, on her terms, and leave absolutely nothing to chance. She couldn't risk something happening and Dash getting more angry with her than he currently was now. She couldn't afford to be in anymore hot water. Her circumstances were bad enough as it was.

She felt panic build inside her from thinking about her situation with the Baxters but she pushed it down. She would not think about that today. Tomorrow, not today. Never today.

As Dani got to the green and gold marble staircase, she started debating to herself about whether or not to feed Vladimir Vlad's food (It could be poisoned but then again Dani was sure Vlad didn't want to risk poisoning her mother) when suddenly her ghost sense went off. And before she could make any move at all, she was hit in the back. Hard.

Dani didn't know what it was that hit her (Or who it was) only that it seemed to paralyze her every movement. She dropped Vladimir unconsciously and the hit send her painfully crashing down the steps. The last thing she remembered was hearing Vladimir's loud hisses and feeling unbelievable agony before blessed darkness finally overcame her.


	14. Nightmares

Dani's Flashback/Nightmare

.

"Happy birthday Dash! Awesome party! Anyway I hope you like your present, it's pretty hard getting something for a multi-millionaire when you're making minimum wage."

"Dani I love you. I've loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you back in New York. I want us to be together. I want you to be my girlfriend."

"I'm sorry Dash. I'm just not interested in you. I never was and frankly never will be."

"Dani what did you say to Dash!? He left here looking extremely upset."

"Dani your mother is right. You owe Dash an apology."

"Hello? Dash are you up here?"

"Why hello Dani. I was almost afraid I would have to come and get you."

"I am Dash Baxter, heir to the House of Baxter, and from this day forth I claim you as mine."

"Officer! Officer please you have to help me!"

"We don't want any trouble with the Baxters! Please leave us alone!"

"You see Dani there is no one here to help you. Your entire fate and the fate of your family rests upon my son's hands."

"Don't worry sweetheart. Eventually you will come to love me. But until then, I'll let you keep your freedom of speech."

"Your days are numbered Dani Fenton. You see the moment my son tires of you, as he has tired of all the others, is the moment your beautiful head gets added to my collection. There is no escape from us. We rule all."

"What a beautiful necklace Dani. Did Dash give it to you?"

"I refuse to think about this today. If I do, I'll lose my mind. I'll think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow."

"...3,2,1 HAPPY NEW YEAR!"


	15. Snow

Beautiful. Magnificent. Stunning. Ravishing. Divine. Enchanting. Exquisite. Bewitching. Alluring. 

Vlad could go down the line one by one and none of them could even come close to the breathtaking creature right before him. Hair as black as the Wisconsin night sky, porcelain skin as white as fresh fallen snow, and gorgeous lips as red as the blood of his fallen enemies.

His human enemies, that is.

'Snow.' He thought as he gazed at her figure. 'My beautiful Snow.'

From the moment his eyes connected to her wide doe like ones, he felt his very essence merge with hers. There was no possible way he could describe it, it was like they had become one. In that moment and for the rest of his moments to come, she was his everything.

'Soulmate.' Skulker had told him once. 'All ghosts have a soulmate.'

When Skulker had described it to him, Vlad immediately laughed him off. Instantly falling madly and passionately in love with someone you just met sounded like something out of a ridiculous Disney movie. There was no way Vlad believed he could ever be weak enough to fall for something as preposterous as that.

How wrong he was.

This beauty, this perfect being who's features look like they were carved by angels, was Vlad's very soul. His feelings for Maddie before was nothing compared to how he felt for Snow now. She was love of his life and the reason why he breathed. He was an empty shell before she came along with her beautiful smile that lit his world up. She would be his and his alone, he would share her with no one. She would be his wife, bear his heirs, and rule along side him when he conquered this world and the next.

And luckily for Vlad, the Baxters had made that all too easy to attain. The plan was already set into place. All he had to do was set it back a week and his beautiful Snow would be his for the keeping.

.

Friday. December 23rd, 2004. University of Wisconsin Hospital. 11:55 p.m.

.

"Mr. Masters? Mr. and Mrs. Fenton?"

The doctor's statement brought the attention of the three people in their own private waiting room. Vlad Masters stood up, along with Maddie and Jack in anticipation of the doctor's words. They had arrived hours ago and Vlad had demanded Snow be tested extremely throughly by only the best of the best as to ensure her health. He felt rage and guilt course through him at the knowledge that it was his fault Snow was currently laying in a hospital bed. The sight of Snow unconscious, as if dead, on the base of his staircase is a sight that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Vlad forgot about lifting his orders to him in regards of Snow and that of her brother, an order he gave him just a few hours ago before they arrived at the castle. Vlad also forgot to be specific in telling him what 'making sure the children are out the way while he got Maddie into his bed' implied. It certainly wasn't this!

Luckily he stopped the attack on the boy and stopped Madeline from flying straight back to Minnesota in a fright so Dani could see her primary doctors, which was probably his plan all along.

Or perhaps it was to kill her and stop Vlad from gaining his lifelong dream, having a family? Either way, Vlad was going to torture him so badly that he wouldn't even be able to look at a picture of Snow without feeling pain.

"Yes?" Jack anxiously asked, drawing Vlad away from his vengeful thoughts, his face creased in worry. "How's my daughter doing?"

"Your daughter is fine." The Doctor replied, flipping through her file. "She has some bruising but that will heal over time."

"No head trauma?" Maddie asked, the worry evident in her tone. "No internal bleeding?"

"No." The doctor reassured and Vlad let out a breath he didn't know he took. "Other than some very minor bruising and a few small cuts she's fine. In fact," He added with a soft smile. "She'll be alright to bring home now if you would like-"

RING! RING!

"I'm sorry." Maddie apologetically told them while grabbing her phone. "I need to take this."

As Vlad watch Maddie walk a way off, he felt his heart race in excitement. This was it.

"-that's not possible!….She's seventeen but she'll be…By five!? On Christmas Eve!? That's tomorrow! You said until New Year's Eve, we planned until New Year's Eve!"

Vlad inwardly grinned. He had made an unexpected move and the queen was now scrambling to overcome it.

"You've been calling for two days!?…Well I wasn't there obviously! Why didn't you call my cell phone sooner!?…Misplaced the number!? Listen you're the idiots that came up with that stupid rule a month ago that an applicant has to be eighteen by September or legally declared an adult by then to be considered for your school and now you're telling me the deadline for applicants is tomorrow instead of New Year's Eve!?…Well I would enter her next year if you accepted transfer students!"

He saw Jack glance at him in confusion when Maddie kicked a trash can in her fury. He shrugged back at him, as if to tell him he was just as confused as Jack was by Maddie's behavior. After all these years, Vlad knew how to play the part of an innocent man perfectly and frankly Jack was just too easy to fool.

"Don't you threaten me with a waiting list ten miles long of applicants!…There's just no way I can get her declared an adult by then…Did she just-did she just hang up on me!?"

Vlad watched Maddie angrily redialed the number. The same conversation took place, this time Maddie screaming in frustration at them and smashing a hole in the wall in her anger.

"Maddie what's wrong?" Jack asked in a worried tone, cautiously walking up to her. "Did something happen?"

Vlad watched as Maddie signed and was forced to tell her husband the truth about everything she and the Baxters had been plotting for over a month now. Jack was absolutely fuming when Maddie finished. Vlad hadn't seen him this angry since senior year in college, when some twisted individual took advantage of Harriet, Maddie's dorm mate.

"And when were you planning on telling me about this?"

"Jack I didn't want to tell you because-"

"She's my daughter and you were going to marry her off without my consent?"

"I knew you would have never agreed to it."

"OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE NEVER AGREED TO IT!"

Vlad was pretty sure the Ghost Zone could hear Jack's explosion. His voice echoed throughout the walls of the waiting room. Thank the stars only them and the doctor currently occupied it.

"Sir is everything alright?" The doctor hesitantly asked, walking over to them, clearly taken aback by Jack's outburst. He had no idea what was going on as Maddie spoke to Jack softly to not be overheard. But Vlad's hearing was enhanced by his ghost powers, so he could catch everything.

"I'm sorry doctor. Everything's fine. You can leave now." Jack apologized, then waited until the doctor left the waiting room to turn his sharp brown eyes back towards his wife. "Maddie, Dash is a teenage boy and I see the way he looks at Dani. Him married to her spells trouble. Dating alright but not married."

"Dash would never-"

"Alone? Married? At college?" Jack raised an eyebrow at her. "Maddie who are you trying to fool?"

"Well we don't have any options!" Maddie said, the irritation dripping from her tone. "The college doesn't accept transfer students and her birthday isn't until well after the orientation day. It's Dani's dream college, she's been talking about getting accepted since she was a little girl. Besides Jack, as unfair as it is, you and I both know that for this particular school it's not just about talent but who you know and whether or not they like you. With Dash's wealth and political background, no one would dare question the validity of the marriage and I know Dani will be accepted without hesitation."

Jack signed and his face seemed to age ten years in doing so. He then turned beseechingly to him and walked towards to where he was standing.

Just the move Vlad expected him to.

"Vladdy, I know we haven't seen each other in a while and I hate to ask you this but-" Jack explained to him the situation and asked of him a favor.

The King was clearing out of his safety zone. Perfect.

"I'm sorry Jack." Vlad said to him, playing the role of a caring friend who's hands were tied perfectly. "One of my workers came to me with the same problem weeks ago. It's a privately owned college. I tried to urge them, quite generously, to change that ridiculous rule but they wouldn't budge. I then tried to buy them out but they just wouldn't sell. The man in question ended up having to marry his daughter off to his best friend as a solution."

He could see a light flicker in Jack's eyes. The King had foolishly moved another step.

"His best friend?"

"Yes his best friend." Vlad replied as he dangled the bait in front of Jack. "It was a perfect match, he told me. His daughter's birthday was in October so she would really only be married for less than a year before it's annulled."

"Well then that settles it!" Jack happily exclaimed, slapping Vlad hard on the back in his excitement. "Dani can marry you V-Man!"

Jack took the bait. The King was in position. Check.

"What?" Maddie had heard Jack's statement and stomped over towards them.

"Well that is if you agree to it V-Man?" Jack asked him. "Assuming you're not with anyone right now?"

"Anything for you, old chum." Vlad agreed, excitement coursing through his veins on how close he was to attaining Snow but being very careful not to show it. "I'm free as a bird."

"Absolutely not!" Maddie firmly said, her hands on her hips. "I refuse to marry my daughter off to someone twice her age!"

The queen blocked his move. He had to wait for the King to come into position again.

"Think about it Maddie." Jack urged her, placing his large hands on her shoulders. "We need to get Dani hitched tomorrow right?"

"Yes but-"

"Well then Vladdy's the best man for the job! He's the richest man in the world so no one would dare question the validity of the marriage!"

"Yes but Jack-"

"Not to mention we've known him since college!"

"But Jack Dash-"

"Will not be marrying Dani." Jack firmly told her, his tone clearing saying his decision was final. "I refuse to have a hormonal teenage boy marry my daughter. Besides he would never make it here on time, you told me Susan took him to visit his cousins in Australia and she didn't leave you any number because she wanted to have her family time alone with them."

"Yes but-"

"Maddie that's a twenty hour flight at least! Even if you managed to get into contact with them there's no way they'll make it here on time!"

There was no way Maddie would ever be able to make contact with them again. Ever. Not that Vlad would release that tidbit of information just yet.

"It would never work Jack." Maddie told Jack, letting out a long sign and shaking her head. "I already got the marriage license for Minnesota which has to be done a week prior to the event, blood tests have to be done, documents have to be filled out and processed, I already filed for her name change-"

"Name change?" Jack said, his eyebrow raised in question. "You filed for her name change?"

"Yes the whole nine yards." Maddie told him, crossing her arms together. "I don't want anything getting in her way of her being accepted into that school and that means her last name would change to that of her husband."

The queen kept saving the king but it was clear she was running out of pieces and spaces to do so. Knowing that, Vlad made his final move.

"Maddie these things are extremely easy to do." Vlad reassured her, acting as nonchalant about the whole matter as possible. "I can have the marriage license application filled out and here before sunrise, there are no blood tests required in Wisconsin, the documents can be easily produced, and it's just a simple matter of changing her name to 'Masters' instead of 'Baxter'." After a moment of thought, he added. "We can even fly to New York and hand it in personally, if that would be best."

"And Maddie we don't have a choice." Jack said. "Vladdy's the only guy for the job. He's the only man I trust. We have less than seventeen hours to get this thing done with and I'd like to get it finished as soon as possible so we can send her application in already."

Maddie was silent for a long time at Jack's words and he could see the defeat in her violet eyes that once upon a time had his heart racing.

"Fine then." She finally gritted out, clearly unhappy about the arrangements but seeing no way out of them. "Do you think you can get the marriage done and fly us to New York before noon Vlad?"

The queen had been taken. The King foolishly damned himself. Checkmate.

"Of course Madeline! When Dani awakens and if she agrees to my proposal, we can be married within the hour." Vlad smoothly replied, taking out his cell phone as to make all the arrangements. "After we're wed, I'll have my private jet ready to charter us to New York. We'll be there in two hours time."

And Snow would agree. Vlad had ways of ensuring she'd have no other choice.


	16. Plasmius

Saturday. December 24th, 2004. Master Bedroom. 2:43 a.m.

.

It was snowing.

Dani Fenton blearily opened her eyes to find herself in a huge, dark, and unfamiliar bedroom with sheets of egyptian cotton wrapped all around her. She could see two balcony doors wide open and a cold breeze flew inside, blowing millions of tiny snowflakes in her face. It would have felt so good to Dani if she didn't feel like King Kong was tap dancing inside her head.

"Oh I feel like I've been hit by a truck." Dani groaned as she sat up and clutched the sides of her head. "What happened to me?"

Suddenly her ghost sense went off and everything came rushing back to her in a flood of images.

"Daddy!" She cried in fear as she went ghost and flew into the hallway. She found her father sleepwalking there in his pajamas surrounded by the idiot ghost vultures she captured just a few days past. Not wasting any time, Dani quickly phased him out of the hallway and into a room a couple of floors down.

"Ah sweet relief." Her father mumbled when he saw the bathroom Dani took them to.

Dani gently kissed her father on the head and went out to deal with the vultures.

She found them in the exact same position she left them.

"It's you!" They each cried.

"How did you guys get out of the Thermos?" She questioned as she flew closer to them. "Who sent you free?"

"We're not telling you anything!" The hump beaked one said.

"Yeah you locked us up!" The smooth beaked one cried after.

"I love you." The one she stole the sunglasses from said, a goofy look on his face.

The other two smacked him across the head.

"If you tell me," She whispered seductively to them, watching as dazed expressions appeared on their faces. "I'll give you each a kiss."

"Plasmius." They all said together, not missing a beat. "Vlad Plasmius."

Dani's face was edged in shock and confusion. Vlad Plasmius? Surely they meant Vlad Masters?

"Plasmius? Who's Vlad Plasmius?"

"That would be me."

The vultures screamed in fright at the dark voice and phased out of the hallway. Dani, however, quickly turned around and spotted the intruder.

And then she burst out laughing.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me?" She chuckled as she saw his ridiculous appearance. "Count Dracula? Really? Dude Halloween was two months ago!"

He raised a black eyebrow as if amused with her words.

"Well I was aiming for the vultures," She told him, her hands leaking ecto energy. "But you'll do."

Dani really wasn't interested in why he tried to kill her father, it was hardly the first time a ghost tried to kill one of her parents. They were ghost hunters after all, assassination attempts came with the territory. He couldn't have been that strong if he sent the weakest and most senile ghosts Dani's ever encountered to do the job. Plus he was probably the jackass who blasted her when her back was turned and she wanted the chance to return the favor.

It was extremely curious to her though that he specifically wanted her father and not her mother-

A blast tore her out of her musings, sending her crashing to the ground.

'Woah he's fast.' Dani thought as she briefly saw stars from the impact. 'Better stop fooling around.'

She quickly flew towards him and-

He grabbed her neck and slammed her back down to the ground.

"My vultures were suppose to bring the big idiot to me but you'll do!" He taunted back, crossing his arms together. "Dani Phantom, right?"

"You-you know me?"

He knew who she was and still he was attacking her? Did this ghost have a death wish?

Well after-death wish.

"Of course I know you! You're the ghost girl that uses her powers for good. How quaint." He mocked, leaning ever closer to her. "Aren't you going to try to shove me into your ridiculous Thermos?"

'Goddamn it! The Thermos!' She berated herself. 'I don't have the Thermos!'

"I…" Dani started, desperately trying to think of a way out of reaching the Thermos without putting her family in danger. "I don't want to fight you-"

"No." He sadistically grinned as he shot a very powerful blast towards her. "No you don't."

It was much too fast for her to go intangible or duck. The blast hit her head on and send her careening towards the floor with such force she cracked it. Her entire body ached and her energy was nearly depleted. Her breath came out in short pants from the pain and her vision was blurring.

From one blast.

And the ghost looked like he was merely toying with her, staring arrogantly back up at her. And it was then Dani made the horrifying realization that this ghost was powerful, much too powerful for her, that she was outmatched. The knowledge send tremors of panic and fear down Dani's spine, she had never met a ghost she couldn't defeat before. Granted she did have help from her two best friends though in the very rare occasion a ghost seemed too much to handle. But usually she just distracted them with her good looks and sucked them into the Thermos.

Hey it seemed trashy but she barely had control over her own powers and the system worked.

Well worked until now, at least.

This ghost Plasmius wasn't phased by her beauty in the slightest and was much more powerful than she could of ever imagined. He was a hundred times more powerful than The Lunch Lady, Technus, and Skulker put together! And she was alone and in a different territory, she didn't have her friends to help her out like usual. Dani needed to find the Fenton Thermos but she didn't want to risk him getting too close to her father, mother, or brother.

Damn if he was so powerful, why the hell would he send those idiots to try to kill her father!? Why wouldn't he just go do it himself!?

She suddenly had a thought cross her mind that this was most likely Susan's way of punishing her. Making her see how powerless she was against against stronger foes who could care less about her beauty. It wouldn't be the first time Susan did a thing like this. That evil bitch probably planned the whole thing out weeks ago with him.

"Get away!" She shouted defensively as she sent her own blasts toward Plasmius when he got too close to her.

He effortlessly blocked it.

"Ah, an ectoplasmic energy blast." He yawned, his blood red eyes mocking her as Dani desperately tried to get past his shield. It was futile. "So year one. Tell me child, can you do this yet?"

Suddenly there was another Plasmius.

And another.

And another.

They all surrounded her.

"No I can't." Dani gasped in fear as she stared in horror at the duplicates. "How-how are you doing all this?"

"Years of practice." They all replied, their hands leaking dark glowing energy. "Which you unfortunately have no time for."

Dani's last conscious moments were being thrown around like a rag doll and unbelievable agony surging throughout her body from the attacks. She saw the white rings appear mid air unconsciously and she slammed painfully to the ground in her human form.

Everything hurt.

'I just got my ass kicked by Dracula.' Was Dani's last thought before blessed darkness finally overcame her.


	17. Dazed

Dani felt like she was in a dark fog. She couldn't see anything and she couldn't feel anything.

But she could hear things. Snippets of conversations.

.

.

"Oh my beloved, what have I done to you? How could I have hurt you? How could I have not recognized you?"

.

.

"-LIED TO ME!"

"I cannot lie Master. You did not specify."

"I command you to tell me who else alive knows about her secret."

"Her best friends Star Baxter and Paulina Sanchez, Master."

.

.

"-just don't trust him."

"Oh Maddie. You don't trust any male over twelve around Dani. Well except for Dash."

"Dash was different, he was her age and a complete gentleman! But Vlad...the way he looks at Dani-"

"Oh nonsense Maddie! Vladdy's just doing us a favor. He's our old college buddy. He would never try anything with Dani."

.

.

"-been overthrown!"

"What!? By who!?"

"By a ghost called Plasmius! He showed me Susan's head and said he was going to allow Dani the chance to murder Dash herself tonight!"

"Oh my God!"

.

.

"-don't understand why Dani needs to get married at all! Just have her go to another college!"

"Oh Michael, this is the best performing arts school in the world, none other compares to it! Besides Dani's always wanted to go since she was a little girl and live in the city, it's her dream!"

"She'll never do it Maddie. Dani takes those vows seriously. She always said if she was going to be married, it was to be once to the man she loved."

.

.

"My sweet Snow. In a few short hours you'll become Mrs. Vlad Masters. And we'll be making love under the Wisconsin night sky come midnight."


	18. Revelations

Saturday. December 24th, 2004. Ghost Zone. 3:03 a.m.

.

Walker loved this time of season.

It was his only two days off in the entire year and he liked to spend it relaxing since he spend the rest of his year chasing down dangerous high level ghost criminals.

Now if only that wrenched siren human would stop plaguing his mind, it would be a true vacation.

"God that was amazing!" His favorite prostitute Laura told him from the bed he just finished pounding her in. "You were better than any ghost I ever had! I should be paying you for that experience!"

He looked at her in annoyance. After all, one of the reasons she was his favorite was because she didn't stay around to talk. He laid with her, paid her after, and then she left.

It was a great system. It shouldn't be ruined by conversation.

"I'm flattered." He drawled out as he dismissed her coldly with his left hand. "Now get out."

She scowled at him.

"Whatever, I know the deal." She replied as she got ready to leave. "I have a party to be at anyhow. But really, even though it's none of my business and I'll probably lose you as a customer in saying it, you should tell this Danielle girl how you feel."

Walker froze.

"What?" Walker said, his tone a mere whisper as her words shocked him to his very core. "What did you just say?"

She looked at him curiously.

"Danielle?" She responded yet again. "You know the girl who's name you cried as you fucked me? You should tell her how you feel. Any woman would be honored to have you as a partner. Or at the very least a fuck buddy."

She vanished from the room not knowing the mental tatters she left the Ghost Warden in.

.

Saturday. December 24th, 2004. New York City. 7:28 a.m.

.

It was beautiful.

Danielle Fenton woke up at dawn in a King sized bed to see the Twin Towers, the tall skyscrapers of New York City, right outside her penthouse window. The sun's rays were beaming off them and the surrounding buildings, illuminating them further. Snowflakes circled around them, as if they were in an ever twining dance. The best description about the scene would be something out of a snow-globe you would buy at a mall except it was the real thing and much more spectacular. It was truly a gorgeous sight to see and Dani never tired of seeing it.

'What am I doing here?' She thought as she looked at the gorgeous Manhattan skyline. 'Shouldn't we be heading to Wisconsin today?'

The events from the previous night suddenly rushed over her like a waterfall and Dani felt her fists painfully clench together.

"Relax." She gritted out, trying to quell her racing emotions. "Just breathe in and out."

She would not have a breakdown here. Dani refused to let Dash or Susan get any satisfaction of seeing her cry ever again. Crying wouldn't help her situation anymore anyway.

Nothing could help her now.

"Dani!" A voice cried to her, jarring Dani from her tragic thoughts. "You're finally awake!"

Dani quickly turned to see Star Baxter, her best friend since freshman year, sitting up on the edge of the bed. Granted had she known then what she knew now about the Baxters, that Star was only there as a spy for Susan and Dash, things might had turned out differently but as it was Star was still her best friend. She was identical to Dash in her eye and hair color, it was a Baxter family trait after all, the only difference was her eyes were much warmer. They lacked the cruelty and coldness the Baxter family was known for. Star was kind, sweet and shy. She also lacked the extremely good looks the Baxter family was known for. Thank God for that because Susan wasn't very kind on Baxter women (Or any other woman for that matter) upstaging her and her son in the looks department.

Dani was the sole exception to this rule...for now.

"Susan has been overthrown!" Star suddenly blurted out, causing Dani's eyes to widen in shock. "She's been killed by a ghost called Plasmius!"

"What?"

.

Saturday. December 24th, 2004. Penthouse. 8:13 a.m.

.

Vlad watched as his love's ebony eyes widened in fear at the temporary loss of her powers as she frantically shouted her adorable battle cry over and over again to no avail. He regretted his use of force with her but it was necessary. He couldn't afford a fight between them in their current location.

"For the last time I do not intend to harm you nor your family." He reassured her yet again as she cowered against the wall, shaking like a leaf. "You marrying Masters will benefit you tremendously."

"How?" She spat at him trying desperately to put up a tough front but he could hear her heart pounding in terror. "How could marrying a stranger older than my father (Vlad felt his vein twitch at her jab on his age) possibly benefit me and why the hell would you care if I benefited from it or not!?"

Vlad signed. It was now or never.

"Because I was once like you, alone and afraid with powers I couldn't even begin to comprehend." He softly told her as the black rings turned him from Plasmius to Masters. "And I can help you control them."

Vlad saw her blankly blink at him a few times with her wide doe eyes, clearly stunned for words.

Then she fainted.

.

Saturday. December 24th, 2004. City Hall. 4:24 p.m.

.

His heart was shattering as he watched the ceremony being performed before him.

He saw as Dani, the love of his life, was deceived into marrying his master. A man that only wanted Danielle so he could lock her in a gilded cage and force her to birth his wrenched heirs. He could see it in the possessive way his master touched her and the way he lovingly caressed her skin as he slid his diamond platinum ring on, she was only a possession in his eyes. A beautiful doll, much like his former master's son had her. The time to protest had come and passed (Not that he could of said anything anyway with the way his collar shut him up) and the final stages of the marriage ceremony had begun.

"And do you, Vlad Masters," The civil clerk was saying to his Master. "Take Danielle Fenton to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

Vlad Masters didn't hesitate, not that he expected him to the son of a bitch.

"I do."

The clerk repeated the statement to Dani.

'Say no.' He begged in his mind as he stared at his beloved in her beautiful ivory wedding gown. 'Refuse him. Deny him. Spit in his face.'

But she didn't.

"I do." Dani said instead, damning herself in the worst way possible.

He closed his eyes in horror and dread. It was done.

She was married.

"Then by the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife." He heard the civil clerk finish as he slumped against the wall, head in his hands, tears flowing down his face. "You may kiss the bride."


End file.
